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HEROIC  BALLADS 


WITH 


POEMS    OF   WAR   AND    PATRIOTISM 


EDITED  WITH  NOTES 

BY 

D.  H.  M. 


>o^;o<>- 


BOSTON,    U.S.A.: 

PUBLISHED  BY   GINN  &   COMPANY. 

1890. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1890,  by 

GINN  &  COMPANY, 

in  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington. 


All  Riouts  Reserved. 


Typography  by  J.  S.  Cl'shing  &  Co.,  Boston,  U.8.A. 


Pbsbbwobk  by  Uinn  &  Co.,  Boston,  U.S.A. 


PC 
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cc 

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cd  PREFATORY  NOTE. 

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The   following  selections   are  given,  in  all   but  a  very- 
few   instances,    without     abridgment.      Where     omissions 
have    been    made,  it    has    been    done  with    the  view   of 
x>    better  adapting  the  work   to   school   use. 
\3       It    is    believed    that    all    notes    required    for    the    full 
Ni   understanding   of  the   poems   have   been   subjoined. 

\^  D.  H.  M. 


1 

4 

VI 


25551 6 


TABLE   OF   CONTENTS. 


PAGE 

1.  Horatius Lord  Macaulay 1 

2.  Virginia Lord  Macaulay 29 

3.  The  Armada Lord  Macaulay 50 

4.  Ivry Lord  Macaulay 59 

5.  Naseby Lord  Macaulay 05 

0.  Bannock-Burn Robert  Burns 71 

7.  Leonidas George  Croly 73 

8.  Boadicea William  Cowper 75 

9.  Marmion  and  Douglas Sir  Walter  Scott 78 

10.  Scotland's  Maiden  Martyr . .  A nonymous 82 

11.  The  Execution  op  Montrose  .  Professor  Aytoun 87 

12.  Edinburgh  after  Flodden  .  .Professor  Aytoun 98 

13.  The  Heart  of  the  Bruce Professor  Aytoun 114 

14.  The  Charge  of  the  Light 

Brigade Alfred  Tennyson 126 

15.  A  Legend  of  Bregenz Adelaide  A.  Procter 129 

1(5.  Marco  Bozzaris Fitz-Greene  IJalleck 135 

17.  The  Nation's  Dead Anonymous . 140 

18.  Song  of  the  Cornish  Men Robert  Stephen  Hawker 142 

19.  The  Relief  of  Lucknow Robert  Trail  Spence  Lowell. .  144 

20.  Casabianca Mrs.  Hemans 148 

21.  The  Blue  and  the  Gray Francis  Miles  Finch 151 

22.  Chevy-Chase Anonymous 154 

23.  The  Ballad  of  Agincourt.  .  .Michael  Drayton 165 

24.  The     Bonnets     of     Bonnie 

Dundee Sir  Walter  Scott 171 

25.  The  Destruction  of  Senna- 

cherib   Lord  Byron 175 

26.  An  Incident  of  the  French 

Camp Robert  Browning 177 


yi  TABLE  OF  CONTENTS. 

PAOB 

27.  Ye  Mariners  of  England Thomas  Campbell 179 

28.  Battle  of  the  Baltic Thomas  Campbell lbl 

29.  George  Nidiver Anonymous 1^1 

30.  Shan  Van  Vocht Anonymous 187 

31.  How  they  brought  the  Good 

News  from  Ghent  to  Aix.  .Robert  Browning 191 

32.  Battle- Hymn    of    the    Re-  * 

public Julia  Ward  Howe 104 

33.  The  Landing  of  the  PiLGRiMS.il/rs.  Hemans 196 

34.  Monterey Charles  Fenno  Hoffman 198 

35.  Our  State John  Greenleaf  Whittier 200 

30.  Carmen  Bellicosum Guy  Humphrey  McMaster. ...  202 

37.  Roll-Call Nathaniel  Graham  Shepherd.  205 

38.  The  Battle-Field William  Cullen  Bryant 207 

30.  Barbara  Frietchie John  Greenleaf  Whittier 209 

40.  The    Burial    of    Sir    John 

Moore Charles  Wolfe 213 

41.  The  Cumberland Henry  Wadsioorth  Longfellow  21") 

42.  The  Private  of  the  Buffs.  . .  Sir  Francis  Hastings  Doyle. .  217 

43.  Lochinvar Sir  Walter  Scott 219 

44.  "Stonewall"  Jackson's  Way./.  W.  Palmer 222 

45.  The  Old  Sergeant Forceythe  Willson '2-~> 

40.  Barclay  of  Ury John  Greenleaf  Whittier 233 

47.  The  Lord  of  Butrago J.  G.  Loclhart 238 

48.  The  Cavalier's  Escape Walter  Thornbury 240 

49.  Song  of  Marion's  Men William  Cullen  Bryant 242 

50.  Abraham  Lincoln William  Cullen  Bryant 2  1 5 

51.  How  he  saved  St.  Michael's.  .  Mary  A.  P.  Stansbury 240 

52.  Curfew  must  not  ring  To- 

night  Rose  A.  Ilartwick  Thorpe. . . .  251 

53.  The  Loss  of  the  Birkenhead.  Sir  Francis  Hastings  Doyle.  .   266 

54.  The  Song  of  the  Camp Bayard  Taylor 259 

55.  The   "  Revenge  " Alfred  Tennyson 262 

56.  The  Eve  of  Waterloo Lord  Byron 270 

57.  lloiiKNi.iM.i  s Thomas  Campbell 2":1. 

58.  The  Haiiv  Warrior William  Wordsworth 275 

59.  Abraham  Lincoln Tom  Taylor 277 

60.  Commemoration  Ode James  Russell  Lowell 281 

61.  Song  of  the  Sword Karl  Theodor  Korner 286 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS.  vii 

PAGE 

62.  Sheridan's  Ride Thomas  Buchanan  Bead 289 

63.  The    Place     where     Man 

should  die Michael  Joseph  Barry 292 

64.  Concord  Fight B.  W.  Emerson 294 

65.  Paul  Reahere's  Ride Henry  Wadsworth  Longfellow  295 

66.  Saxon  Grit Bobert  Gollyer 301 

67.  Decoration T.  W.  Higginson 305 

68.  Sacrifice B.W.  Emerson 307 

Index  to  Notes 309 

Index  to  Authors 317 


HEROIC  BALLADS. 


HORATIUS. 

A  Lay  made  about  the  Year  of  the  City  CCCLX.1 

I. 

Lars  Porsena2  of  Clusium 

By  the  Nine  Gods  3  he  swore 
That  the  great  house  of  Tarquin  4 

Should  surfer  wrong  no  more. 
By  the  Nine  Gods  he  swore  it, 

And  named  a  trysting  5  day, 

1  About  three  hundred  and  sixty  years  after  the  founding  cf  Rome,  or 
393  b.c.    The  scene  of  the  lay  is  chiefly  in  Etruria  and  in  Rome. 

2  Lars  Porsena  (Por-se'na  or  Por'se-na)  :  Lars  was  an  Etruscan  title  of 
honor  and  office  corresponding  to  chief  or  lord.  The  Etruscans  were  an 
ancient  people  occupying  Etruria,  a  territory  in  Italy  north  and  west  of 
Rome,  the  river  Tiber  being  the  eastern  and  southern  boundary.  Lars 
Porsena  was  the  most  powerful  chief  or  king  of  the  twelve  Etruscan  tribes. 
His  capital  was  Clu'si-um,  about  ninety  miles  northwest  of  Rome. 

3 Nine  Gods:  little  is  known  respecting  the  Etruscan  deities.  The 
Romans  supposed  them  to  have  nine  chief  gods,  who,  like  Jupiter,  had  the 
power  of  hurling  thunderbolts. 

4  Tarquin :  Tarquin  the  Proud  was  the  last  king  of  Rome,  505  B.C.  He 
robbed  the  people  of  their  liberty,  and  his  son,  Sextus,  committed  an  out- 
rage which  caused  a  revolution  by  which  the  monarchy  was  overthrown 
and  Tarquin  banished.  Tarquin  applied  to  Lars  Porsena  for  aid,  and  that 
chief  raised  an  army  to  compel  the  Romans  to  reinstate  the  exiled  despot. 

5  Trysting  day  (tryst'ing)  :  an  appointed  day  of  meeting ;  here,  a  day 
agreed  on  for  the  meeting  of  troops. 


2  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

And  bade  his  messengers  ride  forth, 
East  and  west  and  south  and  north, 
To  summon  Ins  array.1 

II. 

East  and  west  and  south  and  north 

The  messengers  ride  fast, 
And  tower  and  town  and  cottage 

Have  heard  the  trumpet's  blast. 
Shame  on  the  false  Etruscan2 

Who  lingers  in  his  home 
When  Porsena  of  Clusium 

Is  on  the  march  for  Rome. 

ill. 

The  horsemen  and  the  footmen 

Are  pouring  in  amain,3 
From  many  a  stately  market-place  ; 

From  many  a  fruitful  plain  ; 
From  many  a  lonely  hamlet, 

Which,  hid  by  beech  and  pine, 
Like  an  eagle's  nest,  hangs  on  the  crest 

Of  purple  Apennine; 

IV. 

From  lordly  Volaterrae,4 

Where  scowls  the  far-famed  hold 

1  Array :  the  whole  hody  of  fighting-men  hound  to  follow  a  chief. 

-'Etruscan:  an  inhabitant  of  Etrnria.  3  Amain:  at  full  speed. 

4  Volater'rae  :  a  famous  city  of  Etruria,  standing  on  a  commanding 
height.  Its  citadel,  or  "hold,"  was  built,  like  its  walls,  of  massive  unce- 
Hiented  stones. 


HORATIUS.  3 

Piled  by  the  hands  of  giants 

For  godlike  kings  of  old ; 
From  sea-girt  Populonia,1 

Whose  sentinels  descry 
Sardinia's  snowy  mountain-tops 

Fringing  the  southern  sky; 

V. 

From  the  proud  mart  of  Pisse,1 

Queen  of  the  western  waves, 
Where  ride  Massilia's  triremes  2 

Heavy  with  fair-haired  slaves  ; 
From  where  sweet  Clanis  3  wanders 

Through  corn  and  vines  and  flowers ; 
From  where  Cortona 1  lifts  to  heaven 

Her  diadem  of  towers. 

VI. 

Tall  are  the  oaks  whose  acorns 

Drop  in  dark  Auser's  4  rill ; 
Fat  are  the  stags  that  champ 5  the  boughs 

Of  the  Ciminian  6  hill ; 
Beyond  all  streams  Clitumnus  7 

Is  to  the  herdsman  dear; 

1  Populo'nia,  Pi'sae,  Cortona :  cities  of  Etruria. 

2  Massil'ia :  a  Greek  colony  in  Gaul,  the  modern  Marseille,  France. 
The  tri'remes  were  vessels  propelled  by  three  banks  of  oars  on  each  side, 
one  bank  or  row  above  the  other.  The  "  fair-haired  slaves  "  were  natives 
of  Gaul  obtained  from  the  interior  of  the  country. 

3  Clan  is  :  a  river  of  Etruria  emptying  into  the  Tiber. 

4  Au'ser :  a  stream  of  Northern  Etruria.  5  Champ  :  chew. 
6  Cimin'ian  hill :  a  hill  in  Etruria. 

"  Clitumnus  :  a  river  of  Umbria,  a  district  joining  Etruria  on  the  east. 
The  meadows  of  the  river  were  famous  for  their  milk-white  herds  of  cattle. 


4  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

Best  of  all  pools  the  fowler  loves 
The  great  Volsinian  mere.1 

VII. 

But  now  no  stroke  of  woodman 

Is  heard  by  Auser's  rill ; 
No  hunter  tracks  the  stag's  green  path 

Up  the  Ciminian  hill ; 
Unwatched  along  Clitumnus 

Grazes  the  milk-white  steer ; 
Unharmed  the  water  fowl  may  dip 

In  the  Volsinian  mere. 

VIII. 

The  harvests  of  Arretium,2 

This  year,  old  men  shall  reap, 
This  year,  young  hoys  in  Umbro3 

Shall  plunge  the  struggling  sheep ; 
And  in  the  vats  of  Luna,2 

This  year,  the  must  *  shall  foam 
Round  the  white  feet  of  laughing  uiils 

Whose  sires  have  marched  to  Rome. 

IX. 

There  be  thirty  chosen  prophets,5 
The  wisest  of  the  land, 

1  Volsinian  mere  :  a  Lake  or  sheet  of  stagnant  water  in  Etruria. 

2  Arre'ti-um  ami  Lu'na:  cities  of  Etruria. 

8Um'bro:  probably  the  river  of  that  name  in  Etruria;  as  the  men 
would  all  be  engaged  in  the  war  against  Rome,  the  boys  would  be  left  to 
wash  the  shoe])  at  shearing  time. 

•'Must:  the  juice  of  grapes  for  wine.  The  grapes  are  thrown  into  a 
vat.  and  the  juice  pressed  nut  by  men  or  girls  treading  them  with  hare  [eet. 

5  Prophets  :  these  so-called  •'prophets  "  were  sorcerers,  who  undertook 


HORATIUS.  5 

Who  alway  by  Lars  Porsena 
Both  morn  and  evening  stand : 

Evening  and  morn  the  Thirty 
Have  turned  the  verses  1  o'er, 

Traced  from  the  right  on  linen  wliite  2 
By  mighty  seers  of  yore. 

x. 

And  with  one  voice  the  Thirtv 

Have  their  glad  answer  given ; 
"  Go  forth,  go  forth,  Lars  Porsena ; 

Go  forth,  beloved  of  Heaven ; 
Go,  and  return  in  glory 

To  Clusium's  royal  dome ; 
And  hang  round  Nurscia's  3  altars 

The  golden  shields  of  Rome." 

XI. 

And  now  hath  every  city 

Sent  up  her  tale 4  of  men ; 
The  foot  are  fourscore  thousand, 

The  horse  are  thousands  ten. 
Before  the  gates  of  Sutrium5 

Is  met  the  great  array. 

to  discover  the  will  of  the  gods  hy  examining  the  entrails  of  victims  offered 
in  sacrifice,  by  the  flight  of  birds,  and  other  signs. 

1  Verses:  these  were  probably  similar  to  those  of  the  famous  Sibylline 
books  which  a  sibyl  or  prophetess  sold  to  Tarquin,  king  of  Rome,  and 
which  professed  to  foretell  the  future  of  the  nation.  They  were  consulted 
in  all  emergencies  concerning  the  city.  So  Lars  Porsena  now  consults  his 
books  of  prophecy,  to  learn  whether  his  expedition  will  prove  successful. 

2  The  Etruscans  wrote  from  right  to  left. 

8  Nur'scia  :  perhaps  the  guardian  deity  of  Clusium. 

4  Tale:  number  or  quota.  5  Su'trium:  a  town  of  Etruria. 


6  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

A  proud  man  was  Lars  Porsena 
Upon  tin;  trysting  day. 

XII. 

For  all  the  Etruscan  armies 

Were  ranged  beneath  his  eye, 
And  many  a  banished  Roman, 

And  many  a  stout  ally ; 
And  with  a  mighty  following 

To  join  the  muster  came 
The  Tusculan  Mamilius,1 

Prince  of  the  Latian  name.2 

XIII. 

But  by  the  yellow  Tiber 

Was  tumult  and  affright: 
From  all  the  spacious  champaign8 

To  Rome  men  took  their  flight. 
A  mile  around  the  city, 

The  throng  stopped  up  the  ways; 
A  fearful  sight  it  was  to  see 

Through  two  long  nights  and  days. 

XIV. 

For  droves  of  mules  and  asses 

Laden  with  skins4  of  wine, 
And  endless  lloeks  of  goats  and  sheep, 

And  endless  herds  of  kine, 

1  Mamil  ius  :  of  Tusculum,  a  town  of  La'tium,  a  country  south  of  Rome. 
Mamilius  was  son-in-law  to  Tarquin,  the  banished  king. 

2  Latian:  relating  m  Latinm,  an  ancient  district  of  Italy;  Latin. 

3  Champaign:  a  flat,  open  country;  here,  the  great  plain  around  Rome. 
*  Skins  of  wine :  bags  made  of  goat  or  other  skins,  for  carrying  or  hold- 
ing wine. 


HORATIUS.  7 

And  endless  trains  of  wagons 

That  creaked  beneath  the  weight 

Of  corn-sacks  and  of  household  goods, 
Choked  every  roaring  gate.1 

xv. 

Now,  from  the  rock  Tarpeian,2 

Could  the  wan  burghers  3  spy 
The  line  of  blazing  villages 

Red  in  the  midnight  sky. 
The  Fathers  of  the  City,4 

They  sat  all  night  and  day, 
For  every  hour  some  horseman  came 

With  tidings  of  dismay. 

xvi. 
To  eastward  and  to  westward 

Have  spread  the  Tuscan  bands  ;  5 
Nor  house,  nor  fence,  nor  dovecot 

In  Crustumerium  6  stands. 
Verbenna  7  down  to  Ostia  8 

Hath  wasted  all  the  plain ; 
Astur  9  hath  stormed  Janiculum,10 

And  the  stout  guards  are  slain. 

1  Gate :  Rome  was  protected  by  walls  and  gates. 

2  Rock  Tarpeian:  a  high,  precipitous  rock  in  Rome;  criminals  were 
frequently  thrown  from  it.  3  Burghers  :  citizens. 

4  Fathers  of  the  City  :  the  senators  or  governing  body  of  the  city. 
6  Tuscan  bands  :  Tuscan  is  another  name  for  Etruscan  or  Etrurian. 

6  Crustumerium:  a  town  of  the  Sabine  country  not  far  from  Rome,  and 
belonging  to  it. 

7  Verben'na:  one  of  the  Etruscan  leaders  under  Lars  Porsena. 

8  Os'tia :  the  port  of  Rome,  at  the  mouth  of  the  Tiber. 

9  As'tur  :  an  Etruscan  leader. 

io  Janiculum :  a  fortified  hill  west  of  Rome,  beyond  the  Tiber.    It  was 


8  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

XVII. 

I  wis,1  in  all  the  Senate, 

There  was  no  heart  so  bold,  ■ 
But  sore  it  ached,  and  fast  it  beat, 

When  that  ill  news  was  told. 
Forthwith  up  rose  the  Consul,2 

Up  rose  the  Fathers  all ; 
In  haste  they  girded  up  their  gowns,3 

And  hied 4  them  to  the  wall. 

XVIII. 

They  held  a  council  standing 

Before  the  River-Gate ; 
Short  time  was  there,  ye  well  may  guess, 

For  musing'  or  debate. 
Out  spake  the  Consul  roundly  : 

"The  bridge  must  straight  go  down; 
For,  since  Janiculum  is  lost, 

Nought  else  can  save  the  town." 

XIX. 

Just  then  a  scout  came  living. 

All  wild  with  haste  and  tear: 
"  To  arms !    to  arms  !    Sir  Consul :  5 

Lars  Porsena  is  here." 

connected  with  the  city  hy  the  only  bridge  then  existing  on  the  river, — 
:i  wooden  structure  built  on  piles  (the  Pons  Sublicius).  If  the  enemy  suc- 
ceeded  in  getting  possession  of  the  bridge,  they  would  probably  soon  effect 
an  entrance  into  Koine.  ]  I  wis :  an  adverb,  meaning  certainly. 

-Consul:  one  of  the  two  chief  magistrates  or  governors  of  Borne  who 
took  the  place  of  the  expelled  kings. 

:iGowns:  the  toga  or  gown,  a  loose,  shawl-like  garment,  was  the 
national  dress  of  the  Etonians. 

4  Hied :  hastened.  Sir  Consul :  Sir,  a  title  of  respect. 


HORATIUS. 


On  the  low  hills  to  westward 
The  Consul  fixed  his  eye, 

And  saw  the  swarthy  storm  of  dust 
Rise  fast  along  the  sky. 


XX. 

And  nearer  fast  and  nearer 

Doth  the  red  whirlwind  come ; 
And  louder  still  and  still  more  loud, 
From  underneath  that  rolling  cloud, 
Is  heard  the  trumpet's  war-note  proud, 

The  trampling  and  the  hum. 
And  plainly  and  more  plainly 

Now  through  the  gloom  appears, 
Far  to  left  and  far  to  right, 
In  broken  gleams  of  dark-blue  light, 
The  long  array  of  helmets  bright, 

The  long  array  of  spears. 

XXI. 

And  plainly  and  more  plainly, 

Above  that  glimmering  line, 
Now  might  ye  see  the  banners 

Of  twelve  fair  cities *  shine  ; 
But  the  banner  of  proud  Clusium 

Was  liighest  of  them  all, 
The  terror  of  the  Umbrian,2 

The  terror  of  the  Gaul.3 

i  Twelve  fair  cities  :  the  twelve  chief  cities  of  Etruria. 

-  Umbrian :  the  people  of  Umbria  east  of  Etruria. 

3  Gaul :  a  barbarous  people  that  had  conquered  part  of  Northern  Italy. 


10  HEROIC  BALLADS. 

XXII. 

And  plainly  and  more  plainly 

Now  might  the  burghers  know, 
By  port 1  and  vest,2  by  horse  and  crest,3 

Each  warlike  Lucumo.4 
There  Cilnius  5  of  Arretium 

On  his  fleet  roan  was  seen ; 
And  Astur6  of  the  fourfold  shield,7 
Girt  with  the  brand  8  none  else  may  wield, 
Tolumnius  9  with  the  belt  of  gold, 
And  dark  Verbenna  from  the  hold 

By  reedy  Thrasymene.10 

xxnr. 

Fast  by  the  royal  standard, 

O'erlooking  all  tlie  war, 
Lars  Porsena  of  Clusium 

Sat  in  his  ivory  car.11 
By  the  right  wheel  rode  Mamilius, 

Prince  of  the  Latian  name ; 
And  by  the  left  false  Sextus,12 

That  wrought  the  deed  of  shame. 

1  Port :  mien  or  bearing.  -  Vest :  an  outer  garment  or  vestment. 

8  Crest :  a  plume  or  ornament  surmounting  a  helmet. 
4  Lucumo  :  the  Etruscan  name  for  a  ruler  or  chief. 
6  Cilnius. 

6  As'tur  :  who  had  stormed  Janiculnm ;  see  p.  7. 

7  Fourfold  shield:  a  shield  made  of  hide  of  four  thicknesses. 

s  Brand  :  a  sword.  J  Tolumnius. 

10  Thrasymene:  but  here  pronounced  Thras-i-meen';  it  is  a  lake  of 
Etruria;  on  its  shores  there  was  the  fortification  or  stronghold  of  the  chief 
Verbenna. 

11  Ivory  car:  a  war-chariot  ornamented  with  ivory;  k  was  usually 
drawn  by  four  horses  abreast. 

l-  Sextus:  the  sou  of  Tarquin  the  Proud;  sec  uoto  o,  p.  1.    He  causud 


HORATIUS.  11 

XXIV. 

But  when  the  face  of  Sextus 

Was  seen  among  the  foes, 
A  yell  that  rent  the  firmament 

From  all  the  town  arose. 
On  the  house-tops  was  no  woman 

But  spat  towards  him  and  hissed, 
No  child  but  screamed  out  curses, 

And  shook  its  little  fist. 

XXV. 

But  the  Consul's  brow  was  sad, 
And  the  Consul's  speech  was  low, 

And  darkly  looked  he  at  the  wall, 
And  darkly  at  the  foe. 

the  death  of  Lucrece,  a  noble  Roman  matron.    Maoaulay  thus  refers  to 
Sextus  in  his  "  Battle  of  Lake  Regillus  "  :  — 

"  Their  leader  was  false  Sextus, 

That  wrought  the  deed  of  shame; 
With  restless  pace  and  haggard  face 

To  his  last  field  he  came. 
Men  said  he  had  strange  visions, 

Which  none  beside  might  see ; 
And  that  strange  sounds  were  in  his  ears 

Which  none  might  hear  but  he. 
A  woman  fair  and  stately, 

But  pale  as  are  the  dead, 
Oft  through  the  watches  of  the  night 

Sat  spinning  by  his  bed. 
And  as  she  plied  the  distaff, 

In  a  sweet  voice  and  low, 
She  sang  of  great  old  houses, 

And  fights  fought  long  ago. 
So  spun  she,  and  so  6ang  she, 

Until  the  east  was  gray, 
Then  pointed  to  her  bleeding  heart, 

And  shrieked,  and  fled  away." 

—  '*  Battle  of  Lake  Regillus,"  XII.  {Lays  of  Ancient  Rome). 


12  HEROIC    BALLADS. 

"  Their  van 1  will  be  upon  us 

Before  the  bridge  goes  down ; 
And  if  they  once  may  win  the  bridge, 

What  hope  to  save  the  town  ?  " 

XXVI. 

Then  out  spake  brave  Horatius, 

The  Captain  of  the  Gate  : 2 
"  To  every  man  upon  this  earth 

Death  cometh  soon  or  late. 
And  how  can  man  die  better 

Than  facing  fearful  odds, 
For  the  ashes  of  his  fathers, 

And  the  temples  of  liis  Gods, 

XXVII. 

"  And  for  the  tender  mother 

Who  dandled  him  to  rest, 
And  for  the  wife  who  nurses 

His  baby  at  her  breast, 
And  for  the  holy  maidens  3 

Who  feed  the  eternal  flame, 
To  save  them  from  false  Sextus 

That  wrought  the  deed  of  shame  ? 

1  Van:  the  advance  guard  of  an  avmy. 

-  The  Captain  of  the  Gate :  Horatius  had  charge  of  the  city  gate  at  the 
entrance  of  the  hridge  leading  to  Janiculum. 

a  The  holy  maidens:  six  maiden  priestesses  <>f  Vesta,  the  goddess  of  the 
hearth  and  home.  On  her  altar,  representing  not  only  the  domestic  hearth, 
hut  also  the  city  of  Rome  as  the  common  home,  a  perpetual  tin'  —  the 
emblem  of  love  and  of  patriotism  —  was  kept  burning.  It  was  the  duty 
of  these  "  maidens"  to  feud  and  watch  this  sailed  lire. 


HORATIUS.  13 


xxvm. 


"  Hew  down  the  bridge,  Sir  Consul, 

With  all  the  speed  ye  may ; 
I,  with  two  more  to  help  me, 

Will  hold  the  foe  in  play.1 
In  yon  strait 2  path  a  thousand 

May  well  be  stopped  by  three. 
Now  who  will  stand  on  either  hand, 

And  keep  the  bridge  with  me  ?  " 

XXIX. 

Then  out  spake  Spurius  Lartius ; 3 

A  Ramnian  4  proud  was  he : 
"  Lo,  I  will  stand  at  thy  right  hand, 

And  keep  the  bridge  with  thee." 
And  out  spake  strong  Herminius;5 

Of  Titian  6  blood  was  he  : 
"  I  will  abide  on  thy  left  side, 

And  keep  the  bridge  with  thee." 

XXX. 

"  Horatius,"  quoth 7  the  Consul, 

"  As  thou  sayest,  so  let  it  be." 
And  straight  against  that  great  array 

Forth  went  the  dauntless  Three. 

1  Hold  the  foe  in  play  :  keep  them  occupied. 

2  Strait :  narrow.  3  Spu'rius  Lar'tius. 

4  Ramnian:  one  of  the  three  ancient  patrician  or  ruling  classes  of  Rome 
dating  from  its  foundation  by  Romulus. 

5  Hermin'ius. 

6  Titian :  one  of  the  three  ancient  tribes  of  which  the  Ramnian  was  the 
first.  "  Quoth :  said. 


14  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

For  Romans  in  Rome's  quarrel 

Spared  neither  land  nor  gold, 
Nor  son  nor  wife,  nor  limb  nor  life, 

In  the  brave  days  of  old. 

XXXI. 

Then  none  was  for  a  party ; 

Then  all  were  for  the  state ; 
Then  the  great  man  helped  the  poor, 

And  the  poor  man  loved  the  great: 
Then  lands  were  fairly  portioned ; 1 

Then  spoils  were  fairly  sold : 1 
The  Romans  were  like  brothers 

In  the  brave  days  of  old. 

XXXII. 

Now  Roman  is  to  Roman 

More  hateful  than  a  foe, 
And  the  Tribunes  2  beard  the  biffh, 

And  the  Fathers  3  grind  the  low. 
As  we  wax  hot  in  faction,4 

In  battle  we  wax  cold  : 
Wherefore  men  right  not  as  they  fought 

In  the  brave  days  of  old. 

XXXIII. 

Now  while  the  Three  were  tightening 
Their  harness5  on  their  backs, 

i  Lands,  spoils:  the  lands  and  plunder  taken  in  war. 
2  Tribunes:   officers  appointed  to  protect  the  interests  of  the  common 
people  <if  Rome.    They  could  veto  any  measure  they  thought  harmful. 
8  Fathers :  see  note  4,  p.  7. 
4  Faction:  here,  political  dissension  or  discord.      fi  Harness:  armor. 


HORATIUS.  15 

The  Consul  was  the  foremost  man 

To  take  in  hand  an  axe  : 
And  Fathers  mixed  with  Commons,1 

Seized  hatchet,  bar,  and  crow,2 
And  smote  upon  the  planks  above, 

And  loosed  the  props  3  below. 

xxxiv. 

Meanwhile  the  Tuscan  army, 

Right  glorious  to  behold, 
Came  flashing  back  the  noonday  light, 
Rank  behind  rank,  like  surges  bright 

Of  a  broad  sea  of  gold. 
Four  hundred  trumpets  sounded 

A  peal  of  warlike  glee, 
As  that  great  host,  with  measured  tread, 
And  spears  advanced,  and  ensigns4  spread, 
Rolled  slowly  towards  the  bridge's  head, 

Where  stood  the  dauntless  Three. 

XXXV. 

The  Three  stood  calm  and  silent, 

And  looked  upon  the  foes, 
And  a  great  shout  of  laughter 

From  all  the  vanguard  5  rose  : 
And  forth  three  chiefs  came  spurring 

Before  that  deep  array ; 


1  Commons :  the  common  people.      2  Crow :  crowbar. 

3  Props  :  it  was  a  wooden  bridge.    See  note  10,  "  Janiculum,"  p.  7. 

4  Ensigns  :  banners.  5  Vanguard :  the  advance  guard. 


16  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

To  earth  they  sprang,  their  swords  they  drew 
And  lifted  high  their  shields,  and  tlew 
To  win  the  narrow  way ; 

xxxvi. 

Annus  J  from  green  Tifernum,2 

Lord  of  the  Hill  of  Vines ; 
And  Seius,3  whose  eight  hundred  slaves 

Sicken  in  Ilva's  4  mines  ; 
And  Ficus,5  long  to  Clusium 

Vassal 6  in  peace  and  war, 
Who  led  to  light  his  Umbrian  powers 
From  that  gray  crag  where,  girt  with  towers, 
The  fortress  of  Nequinum 7  lowers 8 

O'er  the  pale  waves  of  Nar.9 

XXXVII. 

Stout  Lartius  hurled  down  Aunus 

Into  the  stream  beneath : 
Herminius  struck  at  Seius, 

And  clove  him  to  the  teeth : 
At  Picus  brave  Horatius 

Darted  one  fiery  thrust ; 
And  the  proud  Umbrian  \s  gilded  arms 

Clashed  in  the  bloody  dust. 

1  Aunus. 

2  Tifer  num  :  a  town  of  Umbria,  on  the  Tiber.  3  Seius  (Se'yus). 

4  Il'va :  an  island  (the  modern  Elba)  off  the  coast  of  Etruria,  once  noted 
for  its  iron  mines.  '>  Pi'cus. 

3  Vassal :  a  dependent.  "  Nequi'num  :  a  town  of  Umbria. 

8  Lowers :  having  a  gloomy  or  threatening  look. 

9  Nar :  a  river  of  Umbria. 


HORATIUS.  17 

xxxvm. 

Then  Ocnus x  of  Falerii 2 

Rushed  on  the  Roman  Three ; 
And  Lausulus3  of  Urgo,4 

The  Rover5  of  the  sea ; 
And  Aruns6  of  Volsinium,7 

Who  slew  the  great  wild  boar, 
The  great  wild  boar  that  had  his  den 
Amidst  the  reeds  of  Cosa's8  fen,9 
And  wasted  fields,  and  slaughtered  men, 

Along  Albinia's  shore.10 

XXXIX. 

Herminius  smote  down  Aruns : 

Lartius  laid  Ocnus  low : 
Right  to  the  heart  of  Lausulus 

Horatius  sent  a  blow. 
"Lie  there,"  he  cried,  "fell11  pirate  ? 

No  more,  aghast  and  pale, 
From  Ostia's  walls  the  crowd  shall  mark 
The  track  of  thy  destroying  bark. 
No  more  Campania's  n  hinds 13  shall  fly 
To  woods  and  caverns  when  they  spy 

Thy  thrice  accursed  sail." 

1  Oc'nus.  2  Fa-le'ri-i  :  a  town  of  Etruria. 

8  Lausu'lus.  4  Ur'go:  an  island  off  the  coast  of  Etruria. 

5  Rover:  here  used  in  the  sense  of  pirate  and  kidnapper. 

6  A'runs.  7  Volsin'ium :  a  city  of  Etruria. 
8  Co'sa:  a  town  of  Etruria.  9  Fen :  a  marsh. 

10  Albi'nia:  a  river  of  Etruria.        n  Fell:  cruel. 

12  Campa'nia :   a  very  fertile  district  of  Italy,  south  of  Rome,  having 
Naples  as  its  chief  port. 

is  Hinds :  farm-laborers,  peasants. 


18  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

XL. 

But  now  no  sound  of  laughter 

Was  heard  among-  the  foes. 
A  wild  and  wrathful  clamor 

From  all  the  vanguard  rose. 
Six  spears'  length  from  the  entrance 

Halted  that  deep  array, 
And  for  a  space  no  man  came  forth 

To  win  the  narrow  way. 

XLI. 

But  hark  !  the  cry  is  Astur: 

And  lo  !  the  ranks  divide  ; 
And  the  great  Lord  of  Luna 

Comes  with  his  stately  stride. 
Upon  his  ample  shoulders 

Clangs  loud  the  fourfold  shield, 
And  in  his  hand  lie  shakes  the  brand 

Wliich  none  but  he  can  wield. 

XLir. 

He  smiled  on  those  bold  Romans 

A  smile  serene  and  high  ; 
He  eyed  the  flinching  Tuscans, 

And  scorn  was  in  his  eye. 
Quoth  he,  "The  she-wolf's  litter1 

Stand  savagely  at  bay: 
But  will  ye  dare  t<>  follow, 

If  Astur  clears  the  way  ?  " 

1  The  she-wolf's  litter:   the  Romans.    The  legend  was  that  Romulus 
and  Remus,  founders  <>f  the  Roman  people,  were  suckled  by  a  she-wolf. 


HORATIUS.  19 

XLIII. 

Then,  whirling  up  his  broadsword 

With  both  hands  to  the  height, 
He  rushed  against  Horatius, 

And  smote  with  all  his  might. 
With  shield  and  blade  Horatius 

Right  deftly1  turned  the  blow. 
The  blow,  though  turned,  came  yet  too  nigh ; 
It  missed  his  helm,2  but  gashed  his  thigh : 
The  Tuscans  raised  a  joyful  cry 

To  see  the  red  blood  flow. 

XLIV. 

He  reeled,  and  on  Herminius 

He  leaned  one  breathing-space ; 
Then,  like  a  wild  cat  mad  with  wounds, 

Sprang  right  at  Astur's  face. 
Through  teeth,  and  skull,  and  helmet 

So  fierce  a  thrust  he  sped, 
The  good  sword  stood  a  hand-breadth  out 

Behind  the  Tuscan's  head. 

XLV. 

And  the  great  Lord  of  Luna 

Fell  at  that  deadly  stroke 
As  falls  on  Mount  Alvernus3 

A  thunder-smitten  oak. 
Far  o'er  the  crashing  forest 

1  Deftly :  dexterously. 

2  Helm  :  helmet  (here  put  for  head). 

3  Mount  Alver'nus  :  probably  a  poetic  form  of  the  name  of  some  moun- 
tain near  Rome. 


20  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

The  giant  arms  lie  spread ; 
And  the  pale  augurs,1  muttering  low, 
Gaze  on  the  blasted  head. 

XLVI. 

On  Astur's  throat  Horatius 

Right  firmly  pressed  his  heel, 
And  thrice  and  four  times  tugged  amain  2 

Ere  he  wrenched  out  the  steel. 
"  And  see,"  he  cried,  "  the  welcome, 

Fair  guests,  that  waits  you  here ! 
What  noble  Lucumo  comes  next 

To  taste  our  Roman  cheer  ?  " 

XLVII. 

But  at  this  haughty  challenge 

A  sullen  murmur  ran, 
Mingled  of  wrath,  and  shame,  and  dread, 

Along  that  glittering  van. 
There  lacked  not  men  of  prowess, 

Nor  men  of  lordly  race  ; 
For  all  Etruria's  noblest 

Were  round  the  fatal  place. 

XLVIII. 

But  all  Etruria's  noblest 

Felt  their  hearts  sink  to  see 
On  the  earth  the  bloody  corpses, 

In  tlu'  path  the  dauntless  Three: 

1  Augurs :  a  class  of  priests  whose  duty  it  was  to  foretell  the  future 
from  various  signs  —  especially  from  the  flight  of  birds;  these  were 
Etrurian  augurs  who  had  probably  predicted  the  success  of  the  expedition 
against  Rome.  2  Amain:  violently,  with  all  his  might. 


HORATIUS.  21 

And,  from  the  ghastly  entrance 

Where  those  bold  Romans  stood, 
All  shrank,  like  boys  who  unaware, 
Ranging  the  woods  to  start  a  hare, 
Come  to  the  mouth  of  the  dark  lair 
Where,  growling  low,  a  fierce  old  bear 
Lies  amidst  bones  and  blood, 

XLIX. 

Was  none  who  would  be  foremost 

To  lead  such  dire  attack : 
But  those  behind  cried  "  Forward  !  " 

And  those  before  cried  "  Back ! " 
And  backward  now  and  forward 

Wavers  the  deep  array ; 
And  on  the  tossing  sea  of  steel, 
To  and  fro  the  standards 1  reel ; 
And  the  victorious  trumpet-peal 

Dies  fitfully  2  away. 

L. 

Yet  one  man  for  one  moment 

Stood  out  before  the  crowd ; 
Well  known  was  he  to  all  the  Three, 

And  they  gave  him  greeting  loud, 
"  Now  welcome,  welcome,  Sextus ! 

Now  welcome  to  thy  home  ! 
Why  dost  thou  stay,  and  turn  away? 

Here  lies  the  road  to  Rome." 

1  Standards :  each  division  of  the  army  had  its  hanner  or  some  fignre,  as 
ahorse,  eagle,  etc.,  surmounting  a  tall  staff,  to  designate  it;  these  were 
called  standards,  and  it  was  a  matter  of  military  honor  to  keep  them  erect 
and  not  let  them  fall  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy.     2  Fitfully :  unsteadily. 


22  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

LI. 

Thrice  looked  he  at  the  city ; 

Thrice  looked  he  at  the  dead ; 
And  thrice  came  on  in  fury, 

And  thrice  turned  back  in  dread : 
And,  white  with  fear  and  hatred, 

Scowled  at  the  narrow  way. 
Where,  wallowing  in  a  pool  of  blood, 

The  bravest  Tuscans  lay. 

LII. 

But  meanwhile  axe  and  lever 

Have  manfully  been  plied; 
And  now  the  bridge  hangs  tottering 

Above  the  boiling  tide. 
"  Come  back,  come  back,  Horatius !  " 

Loud  cried  the  Fathers  all. 
"Back,  Lartius  !  back,  Herminius! 

Back,  ere  the  ruin  fall !  " 

T.TTT. 

Back  darted  Spurius  Lartius ; 

Herminius  darted  back : 
And,  as  they  passed,  beneath  their  feet 

They  felt  the  timbers  crack. 
But  when  they  turned  their  faces, 

And  on  the  farther  shore 
Saw  brave  Horatius  stand  alone, 

They  would  have  crossed  once  more. 

LIV. 

But  with  a  crash  like  thunder 
Fell  every  loosened  beam, 


HORATIUS.  23 

And,  like  a  dam,  the  mighty  wreck 
Lay  right  athwart 1  the  stream : 

And  a  long  shout  of  triumph 
Rose  from  the  walls  of  Rome, 

As  to  the  highest  turret-tops  2 
Was  splashed  the  yellow  foam. 

LV. 

And,  like  a  horse  unbroken 

When  first  he  feels  the  rein, 
The  furious  river  struggled  hard, 

And  tossed  his  tawny  mane, 
And  burst  the  curb,  and  bounded, 

Rejoicing  to  be  free, 
And  whirling  down,  in  fierce  career, 
Battlement,  and  plank,  and  pier, 

Rushed  headlong  to  the  sea. 

LYT. 

Alone  stood  brave  Horatius, 

But  constant  still  in  mind; 
Thrice  thirty  thousand  foes  before, 

And  the  broad  flood  behind. 
"  Down  with  him  !  "  cried  false  Sextus, 

With  a  smile  on  his  pale  face. 
'•  Now  yield  thee,"  cried  Lars  Porsena, 

"  Now  yield  thee  to  our  grace." 

LVII. 

Round  turned  he,  as  not  deigning 

Those  craven 3  ranks  to  see ; 
Nought  spake  he  to  Lars  Porsena, 
1  Athwart :  across.       -  Turret-tops :  tower-tops.      3  Craven :  coward. 


24  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

To  Sextus  nought  spake  he ; 
But  he  saw  on  Palatums 1 

The  white  porch  of  his  home ; 
And  he  spake  to  the  noble  river 

That  rolls  by  the  towers  of  Rome. 

l\th. 

"  O  Tiber !  father  Tiber ! 2 

To  whom  the  Romans  pray, 
A  Roman's  life,  a  Roman's  arms, 

Take  thou  in  charge  this  day !  " 
So  he  spake,  and  speaking  sheathed 

The  good  sword  by  his  side, 
And  with  his  harness  on  his  back, 

Plunged  headlong  in  the  tide. 

LIX. 

No  sound  of  joy  or  sorrow 

Was  heard  from  either  bank  ; 
But  friends  and  foes  in  dumb  surprise, 
With  parted  lips  and  straining  eyes, 

Stood  gazing  where  he  sank ; 
And  when  above  the  surges 

They  s;nv  his  crest  appear, 
All  Rome  sent  forth  a  rapturous  cry, 
And  even  the  ranks  of  Tuscany 

Could  scarce  forbear  to  cheer. 

1  Palati  nus :  one  of  the  seven  hills  on  which  Rome  was  huilt. 

-  Father  Tiber :  the  Romans  believed  that  every  hill,  wood,  and  stream 
had  its  guardian  spirit  or  deity.  Father  Tiber  ("father"  is  here  an  appel- 
lation of  honor)  was  represented  as  a  venerable  man  reclining  on  a  couch. 
He  holds  an  urn,  from  which  issue  the  waters  of  the  river  bearing  his 
name. 


HORATIUS.  25 


LX. 


But  fiercely  ran  the  current, 

Swollen  high  by  months  of  rain : 
And  fast  his  blood  was  flowing ; 

And  he  was  sore  in  pain, 
And  heavy  with  his  armor, 

And  spent 1  with  changing  blows : 
And  oft  they  thought  him  sinking, 

But  still  again  he  rose. 

LXI. 

Never,  I  ween,2  did  swimmer, 

In  such  an  evil  case,3 
Struggle  through  such  a  raging  flood 

Safe  to  the  landing  place : 
But  his  limbs  were  borne  up  bravely 

By  the  brave  heart  within, 
And  our  good  father  Tiber 

Bore  bravely  up  his  chin.* 

LXII. 

"  Curse  on  him  !  "  quoth  false  Sextus ; 

"Will  not  the  villain  drown? 
But  for  this  stay,4  ere  close  of  day 

*  "  Our  ladye  bare  upp  her  chinne." 

—  Ballad  of  Childe  Waters. 

"  Never  heavier  man  and  horse 
Stemmed  a  midnight  torrent's  force  ; 

******* 
Yet,  through  good  heart  and  our  Lady's  grace, 
At  length  he  gained  the  landing  place." 

—  Lay  of  the  Last  Minstrel,  I. 

1  Spent :  exhausted  with  exchanging  blows. 

2  Ween:  think  or  imagine.     3Case:  condition  or  plight.    4  Stay:  check. 


26  IIEllOIC   BALLADS. 

We  should  have  sacked *  the  town !  " 
"  Heaven  help  him !  "  quotli  Lars  Porsena, 

"  And  bring  him  safe  to  shore ; 
For  such  a  gallant  feat  of  arms 

Was  never  seen  before." 

Lxin. 

And  now  he  feels  the  bottom ; 

Now  on  dry  earth  he  stands ; 
Now  round  him  throng  the  Fathers 

To  press  his  gory  hands ; 
And  now,  with  shouts  and  clapping, 

And  noise  of  weeping  loud, 
He  enters  through  the  River-Gate, 

Borne  by  the  joyous  crowd. 

LXIV. 

They  gave  him  of  the  corn-land,2 

That  was  of  public  right, 
As  much  as  two  strong  oxen 

Could  plough  from  morn  till  night ; 
And  they  made  a  molten  image, 

And  set  it  up  on  high, 
And  there  it  stands  unto  this  day 

To  witness  if  I  lie. 

LXV. 

It  stands  in  the  Comitium,3 
Plain  for  all  folk  to  see ; 

1  Sacked:  plundered. 

2  Corn-land:  the  common  land  owned  by  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  city. 
s  Comi'tium:  a  part  of  the  Forum, or  great  public  square  of  Rome,  where 

elections  and  other  assemblies  of  the  people  were  held. 


HORATIUS.  27 

Horatius  in  his  harness, 

Halting  upon  one  knee : 
And  underneath  is  written, 

In  letters  all  of  gold, 
How  valiantly  he  kept  the  bridge 

In  the  brave  days  of  old. 

LXVI. 

And  still  his  name  sounds  stirring 

Unto  the  men  of  Rome, 
As  the  trumpet-blast  that  cries  to  them 

To  charge  the  Volscian 1  home  ; 
And  wives  still  pray  to  Juno 2 

For  boys  with  hearts  as  bold 
As  his  who  kept  the  bridge  so  well 

In  the  brave  days  of  old. 

LXVH. 

And  in  the  nights  of  winter, 

When  the  cold  north  winds  blow, 
And  the  long  howling  of  the  wolves 

Is  heard  amidst  the  snow ; 
When  round  the  lonely  cottage 

Roars  loud  the  tempest's  din, 
And  the  good  logs  of  Algidus3 

Roar  louder  yet  within ; 


i  Volscian :  a  hostile  people  of  Latium,  a  district  adjoining  Rome  on 
the  south. 

2  Juno  :  the  wife  of  Jupiter,  and  "  Queen  of  heaven." 

8  Al'gidus  :  a  wooded  mountain-range  of  Latium,  about  twelve  miles 
southeast  of  Rome. 


28  HEROIC   BALLADS. 


LXVIII. 


When  the  oldest  cask 1  is  opened, 

And  the  largest  lamp  is  lit; 
When  the  chestnuts  glow  in  the  embers, 

And  the  kid  turns  on  the  spit ; 
When  young  and  old  in  circle 

Around  the  firebrands  close  ; 
When  the  girls  are  weaving  baskets, 

And  the  lads  are  shaping  bows  ; 

lxix. 

When  the  goodman  mends  his  armor, 

And  trims  his  helmet's  plume  ; 
When  the  goodwill's  shuttle  merrily 

Goes  flashing  through  the  loom ; 
With  Aveeping  and  with  laughter 

Still  is  the  story  told, 
How  well  Horatius  kept  the  bridge 

In  the  brave  days  of  old. 

Lord  Macaulay. 
1  Cask  :  cask  of  wine. 


VIRGINIA.  29 


VIRGINIA. 

Fragments  op  a  Lay  sung  in  the  Forum  l  on  the  Day  whereon 
Lucius  Sextius  Sextinus  Lateranus  and  Caius  Licinius  Calvus 
Stolo  were  elected  Tribunes  of  the  Commons  the  Fifth 
Time,  in  the  Year  of  the  City  CCCLXXXII. 

Ye  good  men  of  the  Commons,  with  loving  hearts  and 

true, 
Who  stand  by  the  bold  Tribunes  2  that  still  have  stood 

by  you, 
Come,  make  a  circle  round  me,  and  mark  my  tale  with 

care, 
A  tale  of  what  Rome  once  hath  borne,  of  what  Rome 

yet  may  bear. 
This  is  no  Grecian  fable,  of  fountains  running  wine, 
Of  maids  with  snaky  tresses,3  or  sailors  turned  to  swine.4 
Here,  in  this  very  Forum,  under  the  noonday  sun, 
In  sight  of  all  the  people,  the  bloody  deed  was  done. 
Old  men  still  creep  among  us  who  saw  that  fearful  day, 
Just  seventy  years  and  seven  ago,  when  the  wicked 

Ten  5  bare  sway. 

1  Fo'rum :  a  large  square  in  Rome  where  public  meetings  were  held, 
and  judicial  and  commercial  business  transacted.  It  was  surrounded  by 
courts  of  justice,  temples,  and  many  other  magnificent  public  buildings. 

2  See  Horathts,  p.  14. 

3  Furies ;  goddesses  with  snakes  for  hair.  They  took  vengeance  on 
those  who  shed  blood  without  a  cause. 

4  Circe,  the  daughter  of  the  Sun,  was  said  to  have  the  power  by  her 
magic  of  turning  men  into  swine.    See  Homer's  "  Odyssey." 

5  Ten :  the  ten  magistrates  who  were  chosen  to  rule  the  city  of  Rome, 
and  to  draw  up  a  body  of  laws  in  450.  They  behaved  in  the  most  tyranni- 
cal manner,  and  refused  to  resign  when  their  term  of  office  had  expired. 


80  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

Of  all  the  wicked  Ten  still  the  names  are  held  ac- 
cursed, 
And  of  all  the  wicked  Ten  Appius  Claudius  1  was  the 

worst. 
lie  stalked  along  the  Forum  like  King  Tarquin  2  in  his 

pride : 
Twelve  axes  3  waited  on  him,  six  marching  on  a  side ; 
The   townsmen    shrank  to   right    and   left,   and    eyed 

askance 4  with  fear 
His  lowering  brow,  his  curling  mouth,  which  always 

seemed  to  sneer : 
That  brow  of  hate,  that  mouth  of  scorn,  marks  all  the 

kindred  still ; 
For  never  was  there  Claudius  yet  but  wished  the  Com- 
mons ill : 
Nor  lacks   he   fit   attendance ;    for    close    behind    his 

heels, 
With  outstretched  chin  and  crouching  pace,  the  client 5 

Marcus  steals, 
His  loins  girt  up  to  run  with  speed,  be  the  errand  what 

it  may, 
And  the  smile  flickering  on  his  cheek,  for  aught6  his 

lord  may  say. 
Such  varlets7  pimp8  and  jest  for  hire  among  the  lying 

Greeks : 
Such  varlets  still  are  paid  to  hoot  when  brave  Licinius  9 

speaks. 

1  Appius  Claudius.  2  Tarquin  :  see  Ilorativs,  p.  1. 

■  Each  of  the  Ten  was  attended  by  twelve  men  ("  lictors  ")  armed  with 
rods  and  axes.  4  Askance  :  sideways. 

•>  Client:  a  dependent.         6  Aught:  anything.  7  Varlets:  menials. 

B  Pimp:  to  minister  to  the  base  passions  of  another. 
9  Licin'ius;  one  of  the  tribunes  of  the  people. 


VIRGINIA.  31 

Where'er  ye   shed  the   honey,    the   buzzing  flies   will 

crowd ; 
Where'er   ye   fling    the   carrion,    the   raven's    croak  is 

loud ; 
Where'er  down  Tiber  garbage  floats,  the  greedy  pike  ye 

see  ; 
And  wheresoe'er  such  lord  is  found,  such  client  still 

will  be. 

Just  then,  as  through  one  cloudless  chink  in  a  black 

stormy  sky, 
Shines  out  the  dewy   morning-star,  a  fair  young  girl 

came  by. 
With  her  small  tablets 1  in  her  hand,  and  her  satchel  on 

her  arm, 
Home  she  went  bounding  from  the  school,  nor  dreained 

of  shame  or  harm ; 
And  past  those  dreaded  axes  she  innocently  ran, 
With  bright,  frank  brow  that  had  not  learned  to  blush 

at  gaze  of  man ; 
And  up  the  Sacred  Street2  she   turned,  and,  as   she 

danced  along, 
She  warbled  gayly  to  herself  lines  of  the  good  old  song. 
How  for  a  sport  the  princes  came  spurring  from  the 

camp, 
And  found  Lucrece,3  combing  the  fleece,  under  the  mid- 
night lamp. 

1  Tablets :  small  boards  covered  with  a  coat  of  wax,  on  which  Roman 
school  children  wrote  or  ciphered  with  a  pointed  instrument. 

-  Sacred  Street :  a  celebrated  street  in  Rome,  on  which  stood  the  Temple 
of  Peace.    The  Sacred  Street  led  to  the  Forum. 

3  Lucrece :  a  noble  Roman  matron  who  was  foully  wronged  by  Sextus, 
and  who  stabbed  herself  to  the  heart  in  consequence. 


32  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

The  maiden  sang  as  sings  the  lark,  when  np  he  darts 

his  flight, 
From  his  nest  in  the  green  April  corn,  to  meet  the 

morning  light ; 
And  Appius  heard  her  sweet  young  voice,  and  saw  her 

sweet  young  face, 
And  loved  her  with  the  accursed  love  of  his  accursed 

race,1 
And  all  along  the  Forum,  and  up  the  Sacred  Street, 
His  vulture  eye  pursued  the  trip  of  those  small  glancing 

feet. 

****** 
Over  the    Alban   mountains2   the  light  of  morning 

broke ; 
From  all  the  roofs  of  the  Seven  Hills 3  curled  the  thin 

wreaths  of  smoke : 
The  city  gates  were  opened ;  the  Forum  all  alive 
With  buyers  and  with  sellers  was  humming  like  a  hive : 
Blithely  on  brass  and  timber  the  craftsman's  4  stroke  was 

ringing, 
And  blithely  o'er  her   panniers5   the   market-girl   was 

singing, 
And   blithely  young  Virginia  came  smiling   from  her 

home : 
Ah!  woe    for  young   Virginia,    the   sweetest   maid   in 

Rome ! 
With  her  small  tablets  in  her  hand,  and  her  satchel  on 

her  arm, 

1  The  Claudian  family  was  noted  for  its  oppression  of  the  people. 
"  Alban  mountains  :  the  mountains  southeast  of  Rome;  usually  spoken 
of  in  the  singular  as  Mount  Alban. 

3  Rome  was  built  on  seven  hills.        4  Craftsman :  artisan  or  mechanic. 
6  Panniers  :  large,  open  baskets  for  vegetables  and  fruit. 


VIRGINIA.  33 

Forth  she  went  bounding  to  the  school,  nor  dreamed  of 

shame  or  harm. 
She  crossed  the  Forum  shining  with  stalls1  in  alleys 

gay, 

And  just  had  reached  the  very  spot  whereon  I  stand 

this  day, 
When  up  the  varlet  Marcus  came ;  not  such  as  when 

erewhile  2 
He   crouched   behind   his  patron's  heels  with  the  true 

client  smile : 
He  came  with  lowering  forehead,  swollen  features,  and 

clenched  fist, 
And  strode  across  Virginia's  path,  and  caught  her  by 

the  wrist. 
Hard  strove  the  frightened  maiden,  and  screamed  with 

look  aghast; 
And  at  her  scream  from  right  and  left  the  folk  came 

running  fast ; 
The  money-changer  Crispus,  with  his  thin  silver  hairs, 
And   Hanno   from    the   stately   booth    glittering   with 

Punic  3  wares, 
And  the  strong  smith  Murrena,4  grasping  a  half-forged 

brand, 
And  Volero  5  the  flesher,6  his  cleaver  in  his  hand. 
All  came  in  wrath  and  wonder ;  for  all  knew  that  fair 

child ; 
And,  as  she  passed  them  twice  a  day,  all  kissed  their 

hands  and  smiled ; 
And  the  strong  smith  Mursena  gave  Marcus  such  a  blow, 

1  Stalls  :  for  the  sale  of  market  produce  or  merchandise. 

2  Erewhile  :  a  little  while  before.  4  Murae  na.  5  Vo'lero. 
s  Punic  wares :  goods  from  Carthage.             8  Flesher :  a  butcher. 


34  HEROIC    BALLADS. 

The  caitiff 1  reeled  three  paces  back,  and  let  the  maiden 

go- 
Yet  glared  he  fiercely  round  him,  and  growled  in  harsh 

fell  tone, 
"She's  mine,  and  I  will  have  her:  I  seek  but  for  mine 

own: 
She  is  my  slave,  born  in  my  house,  and  stolen  away 

and  sold, 
The  year  of  the  sore  sickness,  ere  she  was  twelve  hours 

old. 
'Twas  in  the  sad  September,  the    month   of  wail   and 

fright, 
Two  augurs2  were  borne  forth  that  morn;  the  Consul 

died  ere  night. 
1  wait  on  Appius  Claudius,  I  waited  on  his  sire: 
Let  him  who  works  the  client  wrong  beware  the  patron's 

ire  I " 

So  spake  the  varlet  Marcus ;  and  dread  and  silence 

came 
( )i)  all  the  people  at  the  sound  of  the  great  Claudian 

name. 
For  then  there  was  no  Tribune  to  speak  the  word  of 

might, 
Which   makes   the   rich  man  tremble,  and  guards  the 

poor  man's  right. 
There  was  no  brave  Licinius,  no  honest  Sextius3  then; 
But   all    the    city,   in    great    fear,    obeyed   the   wieked 

Ten. 

1  Caitiff  :  a  moan,  cowardly  fellow. 

2  Augurs  :  seers  :  sec  Horatius,  p.  20. 

8  Sextius  :  he,  like  Lieinius,  was  a  tribune. 


VIRGINIA.  35 

Yet  ere  the  varlet  Marcus  again  might  seize  the  maid, 
Who  clung  tight  to  Mursena's  skirt,  and  sobbed,  and 

shrieked  for  aid, 
Forth  through  the  throng  of  gazers  the  young  Icilius * 

pressed, 
And  stamped  his  foot,  and  rent  his  gown,  and  smote 

upon  his  breast, 
And   sprang   upon   that   column,  by  many  a  minstrel 

sung, 
Whereon  three  mouldering  helmets,  three  rusting  swords, 

are  hung. 
And  beckoned  to  the  people,  and  in  bold  voice  and  clear 
Poured  thick  and  fast  the  burning  words  which  tyrants 

quake  to  hear, 

"  Now,  by  your  children's  cradles,  now  by  your  fathers' 

graves, 
Be  men  to-day,  Quirites,2  or  be  forever  slaves ! 
For  this   did   Servius3  give   us   laws?      For  this   did 

Lucrece  bleed? 
For  this  was  the  great  vengeance 4   wrought   on   Tar- 

quin's  evil  seed? 
For  this  did  those  false  sons  5  make  red  the  axes  of  their 

sire  ? 

1  Virginia  was  betrothed  to  Icil'ius. 

2  Qui-ri  tes:  a  word  used  to  designate  the  whole  Roman  people,  both 
Patricians  and  Plebeians. 

3  Ser'vius  :  a  just  king,  whose  laws  were  highly  esteemed. 

4  Great  vengeance :  referring  to  the  assassination  of  Sextus  Tarquinius 
(see  "Sextus,"  Horativs,  p.  10),  on  account  of  his  acts  of  bloodshed  and 
rapine.  With  his  death  the  whole  line  of  tyrants  of  that  family  practically 
came  to  an  end. 

5  Bru'tus,  the  consul,  ordered  his  two  sons  to  be  beheaded  for  conspiring 
to  restore  the  tyrant  Tarquin  the  Proud  (see  Iloratius,  p.  1)  to  power. 


36  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

For  this  did  Sc^vola's1  right  hand  hiss  in  the  Tuscan 

fire? 
Shall  the  vile  fox-earth 2  awe  the  race  that  stormed  the 

lion's  den? 
Shall  we,  who  could  not  brook  one  lord,  crouch  to  the 

wicked  Ten? 
Oh  for  that  ancient  spirit  which   curbed  the  Senate's 

will ! 
Oh  for  the  tents  which  in  old  time  whitened  the  Sacred 

Hill!3 
In  those  brave  days  our  fathers  stood  firmly  side  by  side  ; 
They  faced  the  Marcian  fury;4  they  tamed  the  Fabian5 

pride : 
They   drove   the    fiercest  Quinctius6  an    outcast   forth 

from  Rome ; 
They  sent    the    haughtiest    Claudius7   with    shivered 

fasces  8  home. 
But  what  their  care  bequeathed  us  our  madness  flung 

away : 

1  Scaevola  (Seev'o-la)  attempted  to  assassinate  Porsena  of  Clusium 
(see  lloratius,  p.  1) ;  when  arrested  he  defied  the  magistrates,  and  thrusting 
his  hand  into  a  pan  of  burning  coals  held  it  there  to  show  how  he  disdained 
the  torture  that  awaited  him. 

-Fox-earth:  a  fox-hole  —  a  term  of  contempt  for  the  cunning  but 
cowardly  Claudius. 

3  Sacred  Hill:  a  hill  near  Rome  where  the  people  gathered  at  the  time 
when  they  revolted  against  the  tyranny  of  their  rulers. 

4  Marcian  fury:  referring  to  the  banishment  of  Marcius  Coriolanus  by 
the  people  on  account  of  his  disdain  of  their  power. 

5  Fabian:  the  soldiers  of  the  general  Csbso  Fabius  deprived  him  of  a 
triumph  by  refusing  to  obey  his  orders  and  storm  the  enemy's  camp. 

c  Quinctius :  the  people  banished  him  from  Rome  on  account  of  his 
opposition  to  their  cause. 

7  Claudius:  in  a  riot  which  happened  many  years  before,  the  haughty 
head  of  the  Claudian  bouse  was  mobbed  by  the  people. 

b  Fasces ;  the  rods  and  axes  of  the  lictors  or  guard  of  Claudius. 


VIRGINIA.  37 

All  the  ripe  fruit  of  threescore  years  was  blighted  in  a 

day. 
Exult,  ye   proud  .Patricians ! 1     The   hard-fought  fight 

is  o'er. 
We  strove  for  honors  —  'twas  in  vain :  for  freedom  — 

'tis  no  more. 
No  crier  to  the  polling  2  summons  the  eager  throng ; 
No  Tribune  breathes  the  word  of  might  that  guards  the 

weak  from  wrong. 
Our  very  hearts,  that  were  so  high,  sink  down  beneath 

your  will. 
Riches,   and  lands,   and  power,   and  state  —  ye   have 

them :  —  keep  them  still. 
Still  keep  the  holy  fillets ; 3  still  keep  the  purple  gown,4 
The  axes,5  and  the  curule  chair,6  the  car,7  and  laurel 

crown.8 
Still  press9  us  for  your  cohorts,10  and,  when  the  fight 

is  done, 
Still  fill  your  garners11  from  the  soil  which  our  good 

swords  have  won. 
Still,  like  a  spreading  ulcer,  which  leech-craft n  may  not 

cure, 

i  Patricians :  the  aristocratic  and  governing  class. 

2  Polling:  the  place  where  votes  were  cast  hy  the  people  at  elections. 

3  Holy  fillets :  hands  for  the  hair  worn  hy  the  priesthood,  all  of  whom 
were  Patricians. 

4  Purple  gown :  this  was  worn  hy  the  consuls  and  Patricians  on  solemn 
occasions.  6  Axes:  the  axes  of  the  lictors  (see  p.  30). 

6  Curule  chair:  the  chair  of  state,  originally  an  emblem  of  royalty. 

7  The  car :  or  chariot  was  an  indication  of  rank ;  it  was  also  used  hy  the 
consuls  as  a  triumphal  car  after  a  victory. 

8  Laurel  crown :  this  was  worn  by  the  consuls  on  occasion  of  celebrating 
a  triumph  over  an  enemy. 

9  Press :  to  force  into  military  service.       u  Garners :  granaries. 

10  Cohorts :  divisions  of  the  army.  *-  Leech-craft :  medical  skill. 


125551.6 


38  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

Let  your  foul  usuance x  eat  away  the  substance  of  the 

poor. 
Still  let  your  haggard  debtors  bear  all  their  fathers  bore  ; 
Still  let  your  dens  of  torment  be  noisome  2  as  of  yore  ; 
No  fire  when  Tiber  freezes  ;  no  air  in  dog-star3  heat; 
And  store  of  rods  for  free-born  backs,  and   holes4  for 

free-born  feet. 
Heap  heavier  still  the  fetters ;  bar  closer  still  the  grate ; 
Patient  as  sheep  we  yield  us  up  unto  your  cruel  hate. 
But,  by  the  Shades5  beneath  us,  and  by  the  Gods  above, 
Add  not  unto  your  cruel  hate  your  yet  more   cruel 

love ! 
Have  ye   not   graceful   ladies,  whose    spotless   lineage 

springs 
From  Consuls  and  High  Pontiffs,6  and  ancient  Alban 

kings  ?  7 
Ladies,  who  deign  not  on  our  paths  to  set  their  tender 

feet, 
Who  from  their  cars 8  look  down  with  scorn  upon  the 

wondering  street, 
Who  in   Corinthian    mirrors9  their  own   proud  smiles 

behold, 


1  TJsuance  :  usury.  The  usury  laws  were  so  severe  that  the  person  who 
borrowed  money  was  practically  entirely  at  the  mercy  of  the  lender,  who 
not  infrequently  imprisoned  him  <>r  even  sold  him  into  slavery. 

-  Noisome  :  disgusting,  destructive  to  health. 

:;  Dog-star :  the  same  as  dog-day. 

*  Holes,  etc.:  stocks  into  which  the  feet  of  debtors  were  thrust  and 
confined.  6  Shades:  the  spirits  of  the  departed. 

c  High  Pontiffs :  High  Priests. 

■  Alban  kings  :  the  earliest  of  the  Italian  kings,  who  reigned  according 
to  tradition  at  Alba  Longa,  the  mother-city  <>f  Rome.      8Cars:  chariots. 

'■'  Corinthian  mirrors  :  Corinth  was  noted  for  its  costly  ornaments  and 
works  of  art  and  luxury. 


VIRGINIA.  39 

And  breathe  of  Capuan  odors,1  and  shine  with  Spanish 

gold  ?  2 
Then  leave  the  poor  Plebeian 3  his  single  tie  to  life  — 
The  sweet,  sweet  love  of   daughter,  of   sister  and  of 

wife, 
The  gentle  speech,  the  balm  for  all  that  his  vexed  soul 

endures, 
The  kiss,  in  which  he  half  forgets  even  such  a  yoke  as 

yours. 
Still  let  the  maiden's  beauty  swell  the  father's  breast 

with  pride ; 
Still  let  the  bridegroom's  arms   infold   an    unpolluted 

bride. 
Spare  us  the  inexpiable  wrong,  the  unutterable  shame, 
That  turns  the  coward's  heart  to  steel,  the  sluggard's 

blood  to  flame, 
Lest,  when  our  latest  hope  is  fled,  ye  taste  of  our  de- 
spair, 
And  learn  by  proof,  in  some  wild  hour,  how  much  the 

wretched  dare." 

****** 
Straightway  Virginius4  led  the  maid  a  little  space  aside, 
To  where  the  reeking  shambles  6  stood,  piled  up  with 

horn  and  hide, 
Close  to  yon  low  dark  archway,  where,  in  a  crimson 

flood, 
Leaps  down  to  the  great  sewer  the  gurgling  stream  of 

blood. 

1  Capuan  odors :  Capua,  a  city  a  short  distance  from  Naples ;  it  was 
celebrated  for  its  riches  and  luxury. 

2  Spanish  gold :  Spain  was  famous  for  its  mines  of  precious  metals. 

3  Plebeian :  a  man  without  rank,  one  of  the  common  people. 

4  Virginius :  the  father  of  Virginia.  5  Shambles  :  a  butcher's  shop. 


40  HEROIC  BALLADS. 

Hard  by,  a  flesher  on  a  block   had  laid   his   whittle1 

down ; 
Virginius  caught  the  whittle  up,  and  hid  it  in  his  gown. 
And  then  his  eyes  grew  very  dim,  and  his  throat  began 

to  swell, 
And  in  a  hoarse,  changed  voice  he  spake,  "  Farewell, 

sweet  child!     Farewell ! 
Oh !  how  I  loved  my  darling !    Though  stern  I  some- 
times be, 
To  thee,  thou  know'st  I  was  not  so.     Who  could  be  so 

to  thee  ? 
And  how  my  darling  loved  me  !    How  glad  she  was  to 

hear 
My  footstep  on  the  threshold  when  I  came  back  last 

year ! 
And   how  she    danced   with   pleasure  to  see  my  civic 

crown,2 
And  took  my  sword,  and  hung  it  up,  and  brought  me 

forth  my  gown  ! 3 
Now  all  those  things  are  over — yes,  all  thy  pretty  ways, 
Thy  needlework,  thy  prattle,  thy  snatches  of  old  lays ; 4 
And  none  will  grieve  when  I  go  forth,  or  smile  when  I 

return, 
Or  watch  beside  the  old  man's  bed,  or  weep  upon  his 

urn.5 

1  Whittle  :  a  knife  ;  here,  a  butcher-knife. 

2  Civic  crown :  a  crown  composed  of  oak  leaves,  and  given  to  a  Roman 
soldier  who  had  saved  the  life  of  another  Roman  in  battle  by  killing  his 

antagonist. 

»  Gown:  the  toga,  a  white  gown,  the  ordinary  and  distinctive  dress  of 

the  Romans. 

4  Lays :  songs. 

5  Urn:  the  Romans  burned  the  bodies  of  their  dead  and  enclosed  the 

ashes  in  a  funeral  urn. 


VIRGINIA.  41 

The  house  that  was   the  happiest   within   the  Roman 

walls, 
The  house  that  envied  not  the  wealth  of  Capua's  mar- 
ble halls, 
Now,  for  the  brightness  of  thy  smile,  must  have  eternal 

gloom, 
And  for  the  music  of  thy  voice,  the  silence  of  the  tomb. 
The  time  is  come.     See  how  he  points  his  eager  hand 

this  way ! 
See  how  his  eyes  gloat  on  thy  grief,  like  a  kite's1  upon 

the  prey ! 
With  all   his  wit,2  he  little  deems,3  that,  spurned,  be- 
trayed, bereft, 
Thy  father  hath  in  his  despair  one  fearful  refuge  left. 
He  little  deems  that  in  this  hand  I  clutch  what  still 

can  save 
Thy  gentle  youth  from  taunts  and  blows,  the  portion  of 

the  slave; 
Yea,  and  from  nameless  evil,  that   passeth  taunt  and 

blow  — 
Foul  outrage  which  thou  knowest  not,  which  thou  shalt 

never  know. 
Then  clasp  me  round  the  neck  once  more,  and  give  me 

one  more  kiss  ; 
And  now,  mine  own   dear  little  girl,  there  is  no  way 

but  this." 
With  that  he  lifted  high  the  steel,  and  smote  her  in  the 

side, 
And  in  her  blood  she  sank  to  earth,  and  with  one  sob 

she  died. 

1  Kite  :  a  rapacious  bird  of  the  falcon  family. 

2  Wit:  intellect,  sagacity.  3  Deems:  thinks. 


42  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

Then,   for  a   little   moment,   all   people    held    their 
breath ; 
And  through  the  crowded  Forum  was   stillness  as  of 

death ; 
And  in  another  moment  brake  forth  from  one  and  all 
A  cry  as  if  the  Volscians  were  coming  o'er  the  wall. 
Some  with  averted  faces  shrieking  fled  home  amain  ; 
Some  ran  to  call  a  leech ; *  and  some  ran  to  lift  the  slain  : 
Some  felt  her  lips  and  little  wrist,  if  life  might  there  be 

found ; 
And  some  tore  up  their  garments  fast,  and  strove   to 

stanch  the  wound. 
In  vain  they  ran,  and  felt,  and  stanched;  for  never 

truer  blow 
That  good  right  arm  had  dealt  in  fight  against  a  Vols- 

cian  foe. 

When  Appius  Claudius  saw  that  deed,  he  shuddered 

and  sank  down, 
And  hid  his  face  some  little  space  with  the  corner  of 

his  gown, 
Till,   with   white   lips   and    bloodshot   eyes,   Virginius 

tottered  nigh, 
And  stood  before  the  judgment-seat,2  and  held  the  knife 

on  high. 
"  Oh !  dwellers  in  the  nether  gloom,3  avengers  of  the 

slain,4 
By  this  dear  blood  I  cry  to  you,  do  right  between  us 

twain ; 

i  Leech  :  a  physician. 

-  Judgment-seat :  the  seat  of  the  judges  or  magistrates  of  the  city. 
8  Nether  gloom:   the  gloom  of  Hades,  the  lower  world,  or  place  of 
departed  spirits.    ''  Avengers  of  the  slain :  the  Furies ;  see  p.  29. 


VIRGINIA.  43 

And  even  as  Appius  Claudius  hath  dealt  by  me  and 

mine, 
Deal  you  by  Appius  Claudius  and  all  the    Claudian 

line ! " 
So  spake  the  slayer  of  his  child,  and  turned,  and  went 

his  way; 
But  first  he  cast  one  haggard  glance  to  where  the  body 

lay, 
And  writhed,  and  groaned  a  fearful  groan,  and  then, 

with  steadfast  feet, 
Strode  right  across  the  market-place  unto  the  Sacred 

Street. 

Then  up  sprang  Appius  Claudius :  "  Stop  him ;  alive 

or  dead ! 
Ten  thousand  pounds  of  copper r  to  the  man  who  brings 

his  head." 
He  looked  upon  his  clients ;  but  none  would  work  his 

will. 
He  looked  upon  his  lictors ;    but   they  trembled,  and 

stood  still. 
And,  as  Virginius  through  the  press  his  way  in  silence 

cleft, 
Ever  the   mighty  multitude   fell  back    to    right    and 

left. 
And  he  hath  passed  in  safety  unto  his  woful  home, 
And  there  ta'en  horse  to  tell  the  camp  2  what  deeds  are 

done  in  Rome. 


1  Ten  thousand  pounds  of  copper :  the  earliest  Roman  coin  was  the  as 
of  copper,  or  copper  and  tin,  and  originally  a  pound  Troy  weight. 

2  Rome  was  then  apparently  at  war  with  the  inhabitants  of  Veii,  a  city 
of  Etruria  about  twelve  miles  distant. 


44  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

By  this  the  flood  of  people  was  swollen  from  every 

side, 
And  streets   and  porches  round  were  filled  with  that 

o'erflowing  tide ; 
And  close  around  the  body  gathered  a  little  train 
Of  them  that  were  the  nearest  and  dearest  to  the  slain. 
They  brought  a  bier,  and  hung  it  with  many  a  cypress 1 

crown, 
And  gently  they  uplifted  her,  and  gently  laid  her  down. 
The  face  of  Ajypius  Claudius  wore  the  Claudian  scowl 

and  sneer, 
And  in  the  Claudian  note  he  cried,  "  What  doth  this 

rabble  here  ? 
Have  they  no  crafts  2  to  mind  at  home,  that  hitherward 

they  stray  ? 
Ho  !  lictors,  clear  the  market-place,  and  fetch  the  corpse 

away ! " 
The  voice  of  grief  and  fury  till  then  had  not  been  loud ; 
But  a  deep  sullen  murmur  wandered  among  the  crowd, 
Like  the  moaning  noise  that  goes  before  the  whirlwind 

on  the  deep, 
Or  the  growl  of  a  fierce  watch-dog-  but  half-aroused  from 

sleep. 
But  Avhen  the  lictors  at  that  word,  tall  yeomen  3  all  and 

strong, 
Each  with  his  axe  and  sheaf  of  twigs,  went  down  into 

the  throng, 
Those  old  men  say,  who  saw  that  day  of  sorrow  and 

of  sin, 

1  Cypress :  an  emblem  of  mourning  for  the  dead. 

-  Crafts :  occupations,  especially  mechanical  occupations. 

s  Yeomen:  countrymen ;  here,  equivalent  to  stalwart  men. 


VIRGINIA.  45 

That  in  the  Roman  Forum  was  never  such  a  din. 

The  wailing,  hooting,  cursing,  the  howls  of  grief  and 

hate, 
Were  heard  beyond  the  Pincian  Hill,1  beyond  the  Latin 

Gate.2 
But  close  around  the  body,  where  stood  the  little  train 
Of  them  that  were  the  nearest  and  dearest  to  the  slain, 
No  cries   were  there,  but  teeth  set  fast,  low  whispers 

and  black  frowns, 
And  breaking  up  of  benches,  and  girding  up  of  gowns. 
'Twas  well  the  lictors  might  not  pierce  to  where  the 

maiden  lay, 
Else  surely  had  they  been  all  twelve  torn  limb  from 

limb  that  day. 
Right  glad  they  were  to  struggle  back,  blood  streaming 

from  their  heads, 
With  axes  all  in  splinters,  and  raiment  all  in  shreds. 
Then  Appius  Claudius  gnawed  his  lip,  and  the  blood 

left  his  cheek ; 
And  thrice  he  beckoned  with  his  hand,  and  thrice  he 

strove  to  speak ; 
And  thrice  the  tossing  Forum  set  up  a  frightful  yell ; 
"  See,  see,  thou  dog !  what  thou  hast  done ;  and  hide 

thy  shame  in  hell ! 
Thou  that  wouldst  make  our  maidens  slaves  must  first 

make  slaves  of  men. 
Tribunes!      Hurrah   for   Tribunes!3     Down  with   the 

wicked  Ten  !  " 

1  Pincian  Hill :  a  hill  on  the  extreme  north  of  Rome. 

2  Latin  Gate :  a  gate  in  the  city  wall  on  the  southeast. 

3  See  p.  34, 

"For  then  there  was  no  Trihune  to  speak  the  word  of  might, 
Which  makes  the  rich  man  tremble,  and  guards  the  poor  man's  right." 


46  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

And   straightway,  thick   as   hailstones,  came  whizzing 

through  the  air 
Pebbles,  and  bricks,  and  potsherds,1  all  round  the  curule 

chair : 
And  upon  Appius  Claudius  great  fear  and  trembling 

came  ; 
For  never  was  a  Claudius  yet  brave  against  aught  but 

shame. 
Though  the  great  houses 2  love  us  not,  Ave  own,  to  do 

them  right, 
That  the  great  houses,  all  save  one,  have  borne  them 

well  in  fight. 
Still  Caius  of  Corioli,3  his  triumphs  and  his  wrongs, 
His   vengeance    and   his'  mercy,  live  in   our  camp-fire 

songs. 
Beneath  the  yoke  of  Furius  4  oft  have  Gaul  and  Tus- 
can 5  bowed ; 
And  Rome  may  bear  the  pride  of  him  of  whom  herself 

is  proud. 
But   evermore    a    Claudius    shrinks    from    a    stricken 

field, 
And  changes  color  like  a  maid  at  sight  of  sword  and 

shield. 


1  Potsherds  :  fragments  of  pottery. 

2  The  great  houses  :  the  great  or  titled  families. 

3  Caius  of  Corioli:  better  known  as  Coriolauus.  He  was  banished  from 
Rome  on  account  of  the  disdain  with  which  he  treated  the  magistrates. 
He  then  joined  the  enemies  of  Rome  and  marched  to  attack  the  city,  but 
yielding  finally  to  the  entreaties  of  his  wife  and  his  mother,  he  withdrew 
without  carrying  out  his  design. 

4  Fu'riuB :  Furius  Camillus  delivered  Rome  from  the  attacks  of  the 
Gauls. 

6  Tuscan:  an  inhabitant  of  F.truria,  a  country  lying  to  the  west  and 
north  of  the  Tiber.    Wars  between  the  Tuscans  and  Romans  were  frequent 


VIRGINIA.  47 

The  Claudian  triumphs  all  were  won  within  the  city- 
towers  ; 

The  Claudian  yoke  was  never  pressed  on  any  necks  but 
ours. 

A  Cossus,1  like  a  wild  cat,  springs  ever  at  the  face ; 

A  Fabius 2  rushes  like  a  boar  against  the  shouting 
chase ; 

But  the  vile  Claudian  litter,  raging  with  currish  spite, 

Still  yelps  and  snaps  at  those  who  run,  still  runs  from 
those  who  smite. 

So  now  'twas  seen  of  Appius.     When  stones  began  to 

fly* 

He   shook,  and   crouched,  and   wrung   his  hands,  and 

smote  upon  his  thigh. 
"  Kind    clients,    honest    lictors,   stand    by   me   in   tins 

fray ! 
Must  I  be  torn  in  pieces  ?     Home,  home,  the  nearest 

way ! " 
While  yet  he  spake,  and  looked  around  with  a  bewil- 
dered stare, 
Four  sturdy  lictors  put  their  necks  beneath  the  curule 

chair ; 
And  fourscore  clients  on  the  left,  and  fourscore  on  the 

right, 
Arrayed  themselves  with  swords  and  staves,3  and  loins 

girt  up  for  fight. 
But,  though  without  or  staff  or  sword,  so  furious  was 

the  throng, 

1  Cossus :   this  was  the  surname  of  a  family,  one  of  whom,  Cornelius 
Cossus,  had  gained  great  renown  in  battle. 

2  Fa  bius :   the  Fabian  family  was  noted  for  courage  and  devotion  to 
Rome.  3  Staves :  the  plural  of  staff. 


48  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

That  scarce  the  train  with  might  and  main  could  bring 

their  lord  along. 
Twelve  times  the  crowd  made  at  him ;  five  times  they 

seized  his  gown ; 
Small  chance  was  his  to  rise  again,  if  once  they  got  him 

down : 
And    sharper   came    the   pelting;    and   evermore    the 

yell  — 
"  Tribunes  !    we  will  have    Tribunes  !  "  —  rose  with   a 

louder  swell : 
And  the  chair  tossed  as  tosses    a  bark   with   tattered 

sail 
When  raves  the  Adriatic  beneath  an  eastern  gale, 
When  the  Calabrian  sea-marks  2  are    lost  in  clouds  of 

spume,2 
And  the  great  Thunder-Cape  3  has  donned  his  veil  of 

inky  gloom. 
One  stone  hit  Appius  in  the  mouth,  and  one  beneath 

the  ear  ; 
And  ere  he  reached  Mount  Palatine,4  he  swooned  with 

pain  and  fear. 
His  cursed  head,  that  he  was  wont  to  bold  so  high  with 

pride, 
Now,  like  a  drunken    man's,  hung  down,  and  swayed 

from  side  to  side  ; 
And  when  his  stout  retainers  had  brought  him  to  his 

door, 

i  Calabrian  sea-marks:  rocky  heights  or  other  landmarks  on  the  coast 
of  Calabria,  in  Southeastern  Italy. 

-  Spume:  froth,  or  foam. 

■!  Thunder-Cape:  ;i  rocky  promontory  on  the  coast  of  Greece,  opposite 
Southeastern  Italy. 

'  Mount  Palatine:  oue  of  tho  seven  hills  of  Rome. 


VIRGINIA.  49 

His  face  and  neck  were  all  one  cake  of  filth  and  clotted 

gore. 
As  Appius  Claudius  x  was  that  day,  so  may  his  grandson 

^e! 
God  send  Rome  one  such  other  sight,  and  send  me  there 

to  see  ! 

Lord  Macau  lay. 

1  Appius  Claudius :  The  appeal  of  Virginius  to  the  army  (see  p.  43, 
note  2)  led  to  the  overthrow  of  the  "Wicked  Ten."  The  haughty  Appius 
was  cast  into  prison,  where  rage  and  shame  caused  him  to  kill  himself. 


50  HEROIC   BALLADS. 


THE   ARMADA.1 


Attend,  all  ye  who  list2  to  hear  our  noble  England's 
praise ; 

i  Arma'da :  an  armed  fleet.  Before  it  sailed  it  was  boastfully  styled  by 
the  Spaniards  tbe  "  Invincible  Armada." 

Tbe  Armada  was  a  fleet  of  130  ships,  carrying  about  2500  cannon  and 
20,000  soldiers,  which  Philip  II.  of  Spain  sent  to  conquer  England  in  the 
reign  of  Queen  Elizabeth. 

The  Armada  entered  the  English  Channel  the  last  of  July,  1588.  The 
ships  were  large,  were  all  slow  sailers,  and  were  not  easily  managed. 

The  English  vessels  were  small,  but  efficient,  and  were  under  the  com- 
mand of  Lord  Howard,  Sir  Francis  Drake,  and  Lord  Seymour.  The  Span- 
ish fleet  was  first  seen  off  Plymouth,  where  Lord  Howard  and  Drake  were 
on  the  lookout  for  them.  The  fight  began  soon  after  the  Armada  passed 
that  point  on  the  way  to  Holland  to  get  re-enforcements  of  soldiers  before 
making  the  attempt  to  land  on  the  English  coast.  The  battle  between  the 
unwieldy  ships  of  Spain  and  the  small,  quick-moving  vessels  of  England 
was  like  a  contest  between  a  bear  and  a  swarm  of  wasps.  Followed  in  this 
way,  the  Armada  put  into  the  friendly  French  port  of  Calais.  Thence  the 
English  drove  them  out  by  setting  fire  to  several  of  their  own  vessels,  and 
letting  them  drift  at  night  among  the  enemy's  fleet.  The  Spaniards,  in 
alarm,  cut  their  cables  and  put  to  sea.  The  English  followed,  and  de- 
stroyed many  vessels  off  the  coast  of  Holland,  and  if  their  ammunition 
had  not  given  out,  they  would  have  utterly  defeated  the  Armada  in  the 
North  Sea. 

The  dispirited  Spaniards,  finding  the  weather  against  them,  determined 
to  give  up  the  attack  on  England  and  retreat  to  Spain.  The  storm  pre- 
vented their  going  directly  back,  and  they  undertook  to  return  by  sailing 
round  the  north  of  Scotland  and  Ireland.  Many  of  the  ships  were  wrecked, 
with  ureal  loss  of  life,  and  only  fifty-five  out  of  the  original  one  hundred 
and  thirty  vessels  succeeded  in  reaching  Spain.  In  the  defence  of  England 
Catholics  and  Protestants  had  united,  — it  was  a  national  triumph.  In 
commemoration  of  it  Queen  Elizabeth  ordered  a  medal  to  be  struck,  bear- 
in-  the  motto,  "  God  blew  with  his  wind,  and  they  were  scattered." 

-  List :  desire,  wish. 


THE   ARMADA.  51 

I  tell  of  the  tlirice  famous  deeds  she  wrought  in  ancient 

days, 
When  that  great  fleet  invincible  against  her  bore  in  vain 
The  richest  spoils  of   Mexico,1  the   stoutest  hearts   of 

Spain. 

It  was  about  the  lovely  close    of   a  warm   summer 

day, 
There  came  a  gallant  merchant-ship  full  sail  to  Plymouth 

Bay ; 2 
Her   crew  hath   seen    Castile's3    black    fleet,4   beyond 

Aurigny's  isle,5 
At  earliest  twilight,  on  the  waves  lie  heaving  many  a 

mile.6 
/Yt  sunrise  she  escaped   their  van,7  by  God's   especial 

grace ; 
And  the  tall  Pinta,8  till  the  noon  had  held  her  close  in 

chase. 
Forthwith  a  guard  at  every  gun  was  placed  along  the 

wall ; 9 


1  Spoils  of  Mexico  :  perhaps  because  the  plunder  of  Mexico  had  enabled 
Spain  to  fit  out  the  Armada. 

2  Plymouth  Bay,  on  the  southwest  coast  of  England.  Here  Lord  How- 
ard and  Sir  Francis  Drake,  with  a  small  fleet,  were  stationed,  watching 
for  the  appearance  of  the  Armada. 

3  Castile :  a  political  name  for  Spain,  which  was  formed  from  the  union 
of  the  two  kingdoms  of  Castile  and  Aragon. 

4  Black  fleet :  black  is  the  common  color  for  ships  of  all  classes. 

5  Aurigny's  isle  (O-reen-ye')  :  Alderney,  one  of  the  English  Channel 
islands. 

6  Many  a  mile  :  the  Armada,  when  first  seen,  was  said  to  be  in  the  form 
of  a  crescent,  and  to  extend  about  seven  miles  from  tip  to  tip. 

7  Van :  the  foremost  part  of  the  fleet. 

8  Pinta :  one  of  the  vessels  of  the  Armada. 

9  The  wall :  the  sea-wall  of  Plymouth. 


52  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

The  beacon 2  blazed  upon  the  roof  of  Edgecumbe's  lofty 

hall;2 
Many  a  light  fishing  bark  put  out  to  pry  along  the  coast, 
And  with  loose  rein  and  bloody  spur  rode  inland  many 

a  post.3 
With  his  white  hair  unbonneted,4  the  stout  old  sheriff 

conies ; 
Behind  him  march  the  halberdiers ; 5  before  him  sound 

the  drums ; 
His   yeomen6   round  the  market-cross7  make  clear  an 

ample  space ; 
For  there  behooves  him 8  to  set  up  the  standard  9  of  Her 

Grace.10 
And  haughtily  the  trumpets  peal,  and  gay ly  dance  tile 

bells, 
As   slow  upon  the  laboring  wind   the   royal   blazon11 

swells. 

1  Beacon :  here,  a  signal-fire. 

2  Edgecumbe's  lofty  hall:  the  residence  of  the  Earl  of  Edgecumbe,  on 
a  height  about  seventeen  miles  northwest  of  Plymouth.  Mount  Edge- 
cumbe  can  be  seen  from  the  "  Hoe  "  (Height)  in  Plymouth,  where,  accord- 
ing to  tradition,  Sir  Francis  Drake  and  Lord  Howard  were  playing  a  game 
of  bowls  (or  ten  pins),  when  news  of  the  approach  of  the  Armada  w;is 
brought.    See  Kingsley's  "  Westward,  Ho  !  " 

3  Post :  here,  a  special  messenger,  one  sent  to  ride  with  all  haste 
through  the  country  and  give  the  alarm. 

4  Unbonneted  :  the  bonnet  was  originally  a  cap  worn  by  men. 

5  Halberdiers:  guards  armed  with  halberds,  the  halberd  being  a  com- 
bined  aze  and  spear. 

8  Yeomen :  countrymen,  but  here  equivalent  to  stout  followers. 

"  Market-cross  :  it  was  customary  in  early  times  to  erect  a  stone  cross 
in  the  market-place  of  the  chief  towns.  The  remains  of  such  crosses  may 
still  be  seen  in  several  cities  (e.g.  Chichester)  on  the  south  coast  of  Eng- 
land. »  Behooves  him  :  it  is  his  duty. 

9  The  standard:  the  great  royal  flag,  having  the  arms  of  England  on  it. 
111  Her  Grace  :  Queen  Elizabeth. 

11  Blazon ;  the  arms  of  Euglaud  emblazoned  on  the  standard. 


THE   ARMADA.  53 

Look  how  the  Lion1  of  the  sea  lifts   up   his  ancient 

crown, 
And  underneath  his  deadly  paw  treads  the  gay  lilies 2 

down. 
So  stalked  he  when  he  turned  to  flight,  on  that  famed 

Picard  field,3 
Bohemia's  plume,4  and  Genoa's  bow,5  and  Caesar's  eagle 

shield.6 
So  glared  he  when  at  Agincourt7  in  wrath  he  turned 

to  bay,8 
And  crushed  and  torn  beneath  his  claws  the  princely 

hunters  lay. 
Ho !  strike  the  flagstaff  deep,  Sir  Knight : 9  ho !  scatter 

flowers,  fair  maids : 
Ho!  gunners,  fire  a  loud  salute:  ho  !  gallants,10  draw 

your  blades : 

1  Lion :  the  lion  rampant  in  the  arms  of  England. 

2  The  lilies:  the  ancient  arms  of  France, — fleur-de-lis  ;  the  English 
lion  trampling  down  these  lilies  represents  the  early  English  conquests  in 
France. 

3  Picard  field :  in  1346  the  English  gained  a  great  and  decisive  victory 
over  the  French  at  Cre'cy,  in  the  province  of  Picardy,  Northwestern 
France. 

4  Bohemia's  plume  :  the  hlind  old  king  of  Bohemia  was  an  ally  of  the 
king  of  France,  and  fought  in  his  behalf  at  Cre'cy. 

5  Genoa's  bow :  the  French  king  had  hired  15,000  Genoese  cross-bowmen, 
in  the  hope  that  they  would  be  able  to  hold  the  English  archers  in 
check. 

6  Caesar's  eagle  shield :  referring  to  the  eagle  on  the  shield  of  the  king 
of  the  Romans,  son  of  the  king  of  Bohemia,  and,  like  his  father,  an  ally  of 
France. 

i  Agincourt  (Ah-zhan-koor')  :  a  battle-field  near  Cre'cy,  where,  in  1415, 
the  English  gained  another  great  victory  over  the  French. 

8  Turned  to  bay :  turned  to  face  the  enemy,  as  a  stag  pursued  by  dogs 
turns  and  faces  them. 

9  Sir  Knight :  Sir,  a  title  of  honor  given  to  a  knight. 
10  Gallants  :  brave,  high-spirited  young  men. 


54  HEROIC    BALLADS. 

Thou  sun,  shine  on  her  joyously ;  ye  breezes,  waft  her 

wide ; 
Our  glorious  semper  eadem,1  the  banner  of  our  pride. 

The  freshening  breeze  of  eve  unfurled  that  banner's 

massy  fold ; 
The  parting   gleam  of  sunshine   kissed   that   haughty 

scroll  of  gold ; 2 
Night  sank  upon  the  dusky  beach,  and  on  the  purple 

sea, 
Such  night  in  England  ne'er  had  been,  nor  e'er  again 

shall  be. 
From  Eddystone3  to  Berwick  bounds,4  from  Lynn5  to 

Milford  Bay,6 
That  time  of  slumber  was  as  bright  and  busy  as  the  day ; 
For  swift  to  east  and  swift  to  west  the  ghastly  war- 
flame  7  spread, 
High   on   St.  Michael's  Mount 8  it  shone :  it  shone  on 

Beachy  Head.9 

1  Semper  Eadem  :  always  the  same ;  perhaps  conveying  the  idea  here 
of  always  victorious. 

-  Scroll  of  gold :  the  royal  standard  with  its  arms  emblazoned  in  gold. 

8  Eddystone  :  a  rock  in  the  sea  fourteen  miles  south  of  Plymouth.  It  is 
submerged  at  high  tide.    On  it  stands  the  celebrated  Eddystone  lighthouse. 

4  Berwick  bounds  :  the  boundaries  or  limits  of  Berwick,  on  the  south 
coast  of  England  (Sussex),  nearly  two  hundred  and  fifty  miles  east  of  Ply- 
mouth. 

6  Lynn  :  King's  Lynn  or  Lynn  is  on  the  eastern  coast  of  England  (Nor- 
folk County). 

fi  Milford  Bay :  on  the  southwestern  coast  of  Wales.  From  Lynn  to 
Milford  Bay;  that  is,  across  the  country  from  one  extremity  to  the  other. 

7  War-flame :  the  beacon  or  signal  of  alarm  kindled  from  height  to 
height  and  point  to  point. 

8  St.  Michael's  Mount:  a  high,  rocky  islet  off  the  southern  coast  of 
Cornwall,  near  Penzance,  and  between  Lizard  Head  and  Land's  End. 

'■'  Beachy  Head :  a  lofty  promontory  on  the  south  coast  of  England 
(Sussex),  east  of  Brighton. 


THE    AKMADA.  55 

Far  on  the  deep  the  Spaniard  saw,  along  each  southern 
shire,1 

Cape  beyond  cape,  in  endless  range  those  twinkling 
points  of  fire. 

The  fisher  left  his  skiff  to  rock  on  Tamar's 2  glittering 
waves : 

The  rugged  miners  poured  to  war  from  Mendip's  3  sun- 
less caves : 

O'er  Longleat's  towers,4  o'er  Cranbourne's  oaks,5  the 
fiery  herald  flew : 

He  roused  the  shepherds  of  Stonehenge,6  the  rangers  7 
of  Beaulieu.8 

Right  sharp  and  quick  the  bells  all  night  rang  out  from 
Bristol  town,9 

And  ere  the  day  three  hundred  horse  had  met  on  Clif- 
ton10 Down ; n 

1  Shire :  county. 

2  Tamar :  a  river  separating  Devonshire  from  Cornwall.  It  empties 
into  the  English  Channel  just  west  of  Plymouth. 

3  Mendip's  caves:  the  Mendip  Hills  are  a  limestone  range  in  Somerset- 
shire, in  the  southwest  of  England.  They  abound  in  caves  and  old  Roman 
mines. 

4  Longleat's  towers  :  Longleat,  the  seat  of  the  Marquis  of  Bath,  Wilt- 
shire, about  midway  between  Bristol  and  Salisbury.  It  is  said  to  be  the 
finest  Elizabethan  mansion  in  England. 

5  Cranbourne's  oaks:  referring  to  the  oaks  on  the  grounds  of  the 
Manor  House  of  Lord  Salisbury  at  Cranborne,  or  Cranbourne,  Wiltshire, 
near  the  borders  of  Dorsetshire,  in  the  south  of  England,  or  to  the  wood- 
land near  by  called  Cranborne  Chase. 

6  Stonehenge  :  a  famous  ruin,  supposed  to  be  the  remains  of  a  temple 
built  by  the  ancient  Britons.  It  is  about  nine  miles  north  of  Salisbury,  in 
Wiltshire,  in  the  south  of  England. 

'  Rangers :  officers  having  the  charge  of  the  royal  forest  or  hunting 
grounds  of  the  New  Forest,  Hampshire,  in  the  south  of  England. 

8  Beaulieu  (commonly  pronounced  Beuley,  but  here  Bew-loo') :  the  ruins 
of  an  abbey  on  the  borders  of  New  Forest,  on  the  coast  near  Southampton. 

9  Bristol :  a  city  on  the  southwest  coast  of  England,  on  Bristol  Channel. 

10  Clifton  Down :  Clifton,  a  suburb  of  Bristol ;  for  Down,  see  note  11. 

11  Down :  a  rounded,  barren  hill  of  chalk  or  limestone. 


50  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

The  sentinel  on  Whitehall  gate  1  looked  forth  into  the 

night, 
And  saw  o'erhanging  Richmond   Hill2  the   streak   of 

blood-red  light. 
Then   bugle's   note    and   cannon's   roar   the    deathlike 

silence  broke, 
And  with  one  start,  and  with  one  cry,  the  royal  city  3 

woke. 
At  once  on  all  her  stately  gates 4  arose  the  answering 

fires ; 
At  once  the  wild  alarum  clashed  from  all  her  reeling 5 

spires ; 
From  all  the  batteries  of  the  Tower6  pealed  loud  the 

voice  of  fear ; 
And  all  the  thousand  masts  of  Thames  sent  back  a 

louder  cheer ; 
And  from  the  furthest  wards  was  heard  the  rush  of 

hurrying  feet, 
And  the  broad  streams  of  pikes 7  and  flags  rushed  down 

each  roaring  street ; 
And  broader  still  became  the  blaze,  and  louder  still  the 

din, 
As  fast  from  every  village  round  the  horse  came  spur- 
ring in : 

1  Whitehall :  the  palace  of  Whitehall,  London ;  only  a  small  portion  of 
it  now  exists. 

-  Richmond  Hill :  a  hill  a  short  distance  southwest  of  London. 

3  The  royal  city :  London ;  formerly  the  chief  residence  of  the  sovereign. 

4  Gates  :  London  was  formerly  surrounded  by  a  high  wall  pierced  with 
gates. 

6  Reeling :  said  of  the  church-spires,  because  they  seem  to  sway  or 
rock  from  the  swinging  and  clanging  of  the  hells. 

8  Tower:  the  Tower  of  London;  it  was  formerly  used  as  a  palace,  for- 
tress, and  prison.  "'  Pikes  :  spears. 


THE   ARMADA.  57 

And  eastward  straight  from  wild  Blackheath 1  the  war- 
like errand  went, 
And  roused  in  many  an  ancient  hall 2  the  gallant  squires  3 

of  Kent.4 
Southward   from   Surrey's5  pleasant    hills   flew    those 

bright  couriers  6  forth ; 
High  on  bleak  Hampstead's 7  swarthy  moor  they  started 

for  the  north ; 
And  on,  and  on,  without  a  pause,  untired  they  bounded 

still: 
All  night  from  tower  to  tower  they  sprang ;  they  sprang 

from  hill  to  hill : 
Till  the  proud  Peak8  unfurled  the  flag  o'er  Darwin's9 

rocky  dales, 
Till  like  volcanoes  flared  to  heaven  the  stormy  hills  of 

Wales, 
Till  twelve  fair  counties  saw  the  blaze  on  Malvern's 10 

lonely  height, 
Till  streamed  in  crimson  on  the  wind  the  Wrekin's11 

crest  of  light, 

i  Blackheath :  a  heath  or  tract  of  land  theu  uncultivated  and  unsettled, 
a  short  distance  southeast  of  London. 

2  Hall :  a  country-seat;  the  residence  of  a  man  of  rank  or  property. 

3  Squires  :  country  gentlemen. 

4  Kent :  a  county  in  the  southeast  of  England. 

5  Surrey :  a  county  south  of  the  Thames.    It  includes  part  of  London. 

6  Bright  couriers  :  the  signals,  or  beacon  lights. 

7  Hampstead :  a  northern  suburb  of  Loudon  ;  it  was  then  waste  land. 

b  The  Peak:  a  high  point  in  the  limestone  hills  of  Derbyshire.  It  is 
about  twenty-five  miles  southeast  of  Manchester.  There  was  formerly  a 
castle  on  the  Peak. 

9  Darwin's  dales  :  another  name  for  the  valleys  of  the  river  Derwent 
in  Derbyshire. 

10  Malvern's  height :  the  "  Worcester  Beacon,"  the  highest  of  the  Mal- 
vern Hills,  in  Worcestershire,  in  the  west  of  England. 

11  Wrekin :  a  high  hill  in  Shropshire,  about  tweuty  miles  from  the  east- 
ern boundary  of  Wales. 


58  HEROIC  BALLADS. 

Till  broad  and  fierce  the  star  came   forth   on    Ely's1 
stately  fane, 

And  tower  and  hamlet2  rose  in  arms  o'er  all  the  bound- 
less plain  ; 

Till   Belvoir's3  lordly  terraces  the   sign4   to   Lincoln5 
sent, 

And  Lincoln  sped  the  message  on  o'er  the  wide  vale  of 
Trent;6 

Till  Skiddaw 7  saw  the  fire  that  burned  on  Gaunt's  em- 
battled pile,8 

And  the  red  glare  on  Skiddaw  roused  the  burghers  of 
Carlisle.9 
****** 

Lord  Macaulat. 

1  Elys  fane :  Ely  Cathedral,  in  Cambridgeshire,  in  the  east  of  England. 

2  Tower  and  hamlet :  castle  and  cottage. 

3  Belvoir's  lordly  terraces :  Belvoir  Castle,  on  a  height  of  that  name 
in  the  east  of  England,  about  twenty-five  miles  southeast  of  Nottingham. 

4  Sign :  the  flame  of  the  beacon-fire. 

6  Lincoln :  a  cathedral  town  in  the  east  of  England.  It  is  situated  on  a 
commanding  height. 

0  Trent :  the  valley  of  the  river  Trent,  in  central  England. 

J  Skiddaw :  a  mountain  in  Cumberland,  in  the  northwest  of  England. 

8  Gaunt's  embattled  pile :  Lancaster  Castle,  a  noble  pile,  standing  on 
an  eminence  in  Lancaster,  Lancashire,  in  the  northwest  of  England.  In 
the  fourteenth  century  the  castle  came  into  the  possession  of  John  of 
Gaunt,  Duke  of  Lancaster,  who  built  large  additions  to  it. 

9  Burghers  of  Carlisle :  the  citizens  of  Carlisle.  Carlisle  is  the  county 
town  of  Cumberland. 


IVRY.  50 


IVRY.1 


Now  glory  to  the  Lord  of  Hosts,  from  whom  all  glories 

are ! 
And   glory  to  our   Sovereign   Liege,2  King   Henry  of 

Navarre ! 
Now  let  there  be  the   merry  sound  of   music  and   of 

dance, 
Through   thy   corn-fields    green,    and   sunny   vines,    O 

pleasant  land  of  France  ! 
And  thou,  Rochelle,3  our  own  Rochelle,  proud  city  of 

the  waters, 
Again  let  rapture  light  the  eyes  of  all  thy  mourning 

daughters. 

1  Ivry  (E-vrfi') :  Henry  III.  ascended  the  throne  of  France  in  1574  at  a 
time  when  the  kingdom  was  rent  by  a  terrible  civil  war. 

The  two  factions  in  the  contest  were  the  Catholics,  led  by  Henry  of 
Guise,  and  the  Huguenots,  or  Protestants,  under  Henry  of  Navarre  —  so 
called  because  his  mother,  the  queen  of  Navarre,  held  a  small  kingdom 
originally  lying  partly  in  Spain  and  partly  in  France. 

Henry  III.  endeavored  to  reconcile  the  contending  parties,  but  the  Catho- 
lics distrusted  his  policy,  and  formed  a  league  to  defend  the  interests  of  their 
faith.  Henry  was  assassinated  in  15S9.  He  named  Henry  of  Navarre  as 
his  successor;  but  the  Duke  of  Mayenne  and  the  people  of  Paris  disputed 
his  right  to  the  throne.  In  1500  Henry  gained  the  decisive  battle  of  Ivry 
(a  village  about  thirty  miles  west  of  Paris)  over  Mayenne. 

Three  years  later  he  publicly  embraced  the  Catholic  faith.  Henry 
showed  himself  a  wise  and  just  ruler,  and  a  true  benefactor  to  his  country. 
No  sovereign  in  French  history  stands  so  high  in  the  estimation  of  all 
parties,  and  he  is  justly  entitled  to  be  called  "  Henry  the  Great." 

2  Liege :  lord. 

3  Rochelle :  a  city  on  the  western  coast  of  France ;  it  was  once  the 
stronghold  of  the  Huguenot,  or  Protestant  party. 


60  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

As  thou  wert  constant  in  our  ills,  be  joyous  in  our  joy, 
For  cold,  and  stiff,  and  still  are  they  who  wrought  thy 

walls  annoy. 
Hurrah !  Hurrah !  a  single  field  hath  turned  the  chance 

of  war, 
Hurrah  !  Hurrah  !  for  Ivry,  and  Henry  of  Navarre. 

Oh !  how  our  hearts  were  beating,  when  at  the  dawn 
of  day 

We  saw  the  army  of  the  League 1  drawn  out  in  long 
array ; 

With  all  its  priest-led  citizens,  and  all  its  rebel  peers,2 

And  Appenzel's  3  stout  infantry,  and  Egmont's  Flemish 
spears.4 

There  rode  the  brood  of  false  Lorraine,5  the  curses  of 
our  land ; 

And  dark  Mayenne  6  was  in  the  midst,  a  truncheon 7  in 
his  hand : 

And,  as  we  looked  on  them,  we  thought  of  Seine's  em- 
purpled flood,8 

1  The  League  :  the  compact  organized  in  defence  of  the  Catholic  faith. 
See  note  1,  on  Ivry,  p.  5'.). 

2  "Priest  led  citizens"  and  "rebel  peers"  (peers:  lords):  Macaulay 
here  puts  in  the  mouth  of  a  Huguenot  warrior  the  strong  partisan  ex- 
pressions characteristic  of  the  period. 

3  Appenzel :  the  loader  of  the  Swiss  troops  under  Mayenne. 

4  Egmont's  Flemish  spears:  Philip,  Count  of  Egmont,  led  a  body  of 
troops  from  Flanders  to  support  the  League. 

c  Lorraine  :  the  Guise  family,  who  were  among  the  foremost  supporters 
of  the  League,  were  originally  from  Lorraine,  on  the  east  of  France. 

a  Mayenne  :  the  Duke  of  Mayenne,  commander-in-chief  of  the  army  of 
the  League.     See  note  1,  on  Ivry,  p.  59. 

7  Truncheon  :  staff  of  office. 

8  Seine's  empurpled  flood  :  during  the  massacre  of  St.  Bartholomew  in 
Paris  (1572),  it  is  said  that  so  many  bodies  of  the  slain  were  cast  into  the 
river  that  the  water  was  tinged  with  blood. 

The  massacre  was  an  attempt  of  Catharine  de  Medici,  the  mother  of 
Charles  IX.,  to  destroy  all  the  Huguenot  leaders  of  France. 


IV  RY.  61 

And  good  Coligni's 1  hoary  hair  all  dabbled  with  his 

blood ; 
And  we  cried  unto  the  living  God,  who  rules  the  fate 

of  war, 
To  fight  for  his  own  holy  name,  and  Henry  of  Navarre. 

The  King  is  come  to  marshal  us,  in  all  his  armor 

drest, 
And  he  has  bound  a  snow-white  plume  upon  Ins  gallant 

crest. 
He  looked  upon  his  people,  and  a  tear  was  in  his  eye ; 
He  looked  upon  the  traitors,  and  his  glance  was  stern 

and  high. 
Right  graciously  he  smiled  on  us,  as  rolled  from  wing 

to  wing, 
Down  all  our  line,  a  deafening  shout,  "  God  save  our 

Lord  the  King !  " 
"  And  if  my  standard-bearer  fall,  as  fall  full  well  he  may. 
For  never  saw  I  promise  yet  of  such  a  bloody  fray, 
Press  where  ye  see  my  white  plume  shine,  amidst  the 

ranks  of  war, 
And  be  your  oriflamme  2  to-day  the  helmet  of  Navarre." 

Hurrah !  the  foes  are  moving.     Hark  to  the  mingled 
din 
Of  fife,  and  steed,  and  trump,  and  drum,  and  roaring 
culverin.3 


1  Coligni  (Ko-leen-ye") :  the  chief  of  the  Huguenot  party.    He  was  mur- 
dered in  the  St.  Bartholomew  massacre. 

2  Oriflamme  (or'e-fl&m):    the  ancient  royal  banner  of  France;  it  was 
purple,  or  red,  with  rays  of  gold. 

8  Culverin :  a  kind  of  cannon. 


G2  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

The  fiery  Duke1  is  pricking2  fast  across  Saint  Andre's3 

plain, 
With  all  the  hireling  chivalry  of  Guelders4  and  Al- 

mayne.5 
Now  by  the  lips  of  those  ye  love,  fair  gentlemen  of 

France, 
Charge   for  the  golden  lilies,6  —  upon   them  with   the 

lance. 
A  thousand  spurs  are  striking  deep,  a  thousand  spears 

in  rest,7 
A  thousand  knights  are  pressing  close  behind  the  snow- 
white  crest; 
And  in  they  burst,  and  on  they  rushed,  while,  like  a 

guiding  star, 
Amidst   the    thickest   carnage    blazed    the    helmet    of 

Navarre. 

Now,  God  be  praised,  the  day  is  ours.  Mayenne 
hath  turned  his  rein. 

D'Aumale 8  hath  cried  for  quarter.  The  Flemish  count 
is  slain. 

Their  ranks  are  breaking  like  thin  clouds  before  a  Bis- 
cay gale  ; 

The  field  is  heaped  with  bleeding  steeds,  and  flags,  and 
cloven  mail.9 

1  Duke  :  the  Duke  of  Mayenne. 

2  Pricking  :  spurring,  riding  at  full  speed. 
8  Saint  Andre  ( An-dray'). 

4  Guelders  :   a  part  of  Flanders,  or  the  Netherlands. 

5  Almayne  :  probably  a  poetical  form  for  Allemague,  or  Germany. 

6  Golden  lilies :  the  lilies  on  the  royal  arms  and  standard  of  France. 

7  In  rest .  in  attitude  of  attack. 

8  D'Aumale  (Doh-inahT) :  the  Duke  D'Aumale,  one  of  the  chiefs  of  the 
League.  y  Mail :  armor  made  of  links,  or  rings. 


IVRY.  63 

And  then  we  thought  on  vengeance,  and,  all  along  our 


van,1 


"  Remember  St.  Bartholomew,"  2  was  passed  from  man 

to  man. 
But  out  spake  gentle  Henry,  "No  Frenchman  is  my 

foe  : 
Down,  down  with  every  foreigner,  but  let  your  brethren 

go." 
Oh !  was  there  ever  such  a  knight,  in  friendship  or  in 

war, 
As  our  Sovereign  Lord,  King  Henry,  the  soldier  of 

Navarre  ? 

Right  well  fought  all  the  Frenchmen  who  fought  for 

France  to-day  ; 
And  many  a  lordly  banner  God  gave  them  for  a  prey. 
But  we  of  the  religion  3  have  borne  us  best  in  fight ; 
And  the  good  Lord  of  Rosny*  hath  ta'en  the  cornet5 

white. 
Our  own  true  Maximilian  6  the  cornet  white  hath  ta'en, 
The  cornet  white  with  crosses  black,  the  flag  of  false 

Lorraine. 
Up  with  it  high  ;  unfurl  it  wide  ;  that  all  the  host  may 

know 
How  God  hath  humbled  the  proud  house  which  wrought 

his  church  such  woe. 

1  Van  :  front  of  an  army. 

2  St.  Bartholomew  :  see  note  8,  p.  60. 
s  The  religion :  the  Huguenot  faith. 

4  Rosny :  the  Duke  of  Sully,  Baron  of  Rosny,  an  eminent  French  states- 
man. He  was  a  firm  Protestant;  but  for  the  sake  of  ending  the  civil  war, 
he  urged  Henry  of  Navarre  to  join  the  Catholic  Church. 

5  Cornet :  the  flag  or  standard  of  a  troop  of  cavalry. 

6  Maximilian :  the  Christian  name  of  Sully,  Duke  of  Rosny. 


64  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

Then  on  the  ground,  while  trumpets  sound  their  loud- 
est point  of  war, 

Fling  the  red  shreds,  a  footcloth  neat  for  Henry  of 
Navarre. 

Ho  !  maidens  of  Vienna  ;l  ho  !  matrons  of  Lucerne  ; 2 
Weep,  weep,  and  rend  your  hair  for  those  who  never 

shall  return. 
Ho !  Philip,3  send,  for  charity,  thy  Mexican  pistoles,4 
That  Antwerp  monks  may  sing  a  mass  for  5  thy  poor 

spearmen's  souls. 
Ho  !  gallant  nobles  of  the  League,  look  that  your  arms 

be  bright ; 
Ho  !  burghers  6  of   Saint  Genevieve,7  keep  watch  and 

ward  8  to-night. 
For  our  God  hath  crushed  the  tyrant,  our   God   hath 

raised  the  slave, 
And  mocked  the  counsel  of  the  wise,  and  the  valor  of 

the  brave. 

Then  glory  to  his  holy  name,  from  whom  all  glories  arc ; 

And   glory   to    our    Sovereign    Lord,    King   Henry   of 

Navarre. 

Lokd  Macaulay. 

1  Vienna :    alluding  to  the  Austrian  allies  of  the  defeated  Duke  of 
Mayenne. 

3  Lucerne :    Lucerne,  Switzerland,  also  furnished  troops  to  fight  for 
Mayenne. 

a  Philip  :    Philip  II.  of  Spain ;   he  was  an  ally  of  the  Duke  of  Mayenne. 

4  Pistoles  :  gold  coins. 

5  Mass  :  here,  a  Roman  Catholic  service  sung  for  the  repose  of  the  souls 
of  the  (lead. 

■  Burghers :  citizens. 

7  Saint  Genevieve  (Zhen-ve-av')  :  the  patron  saint  of  Paris;  here  used 
as  a  name  for  the  city  itself. 

8  Watch  and  ward ;  watching  and  guarding  night  and  day. 


NASEBY.  65 


NASEBY.1 


Oh  !    wherefore  come  ye  forth  in  triumph  from  the 
north,2 
With  your  hands,  and  your  feet,  and  your  raiment 
all  red  ? 
And  wherefore  doth  your  rout3  send  forth  a  joyous 
shout  ? 
And  whence  be  the  grapes  of  the  wine-press 4  that  ye 
tread  ? 

Oh !  evil  was  the  root,  and  bitter  was  the  fruit, 

And  crimson  was  the  juice  of  the  vintage  that  we 

trod ; 
For  we  trampled  on  the  throng  of  the  haughty  and  the 

strong, 

1  Naseby :  the  battle  of  Naseby  was  fought  near  the  village  of  that  name 
in  Northamptonshire,  Central  England,  in  1645. 

It  was  one  of  the  decisive  battles  of  the  great  civil  war  between  Parlia- 
ment or  the  English  people  and  King  Charles  I.  and  his  supporters. 

The  Parliamentary  forces  were  led  by  Cromwell,  Fairfax,  and  Ireton;  the 
king's  army,  by  Prince  Rupert  and  Sir  Marmaduke  Langdale.  Charles  did 
not  engage  in  the  battle,  but  took  his  position  on  a  hill  commanding  a  dis- 
tant view  of  the  field. 

The  contest  resulted  in  the  total  defeat  of  the  king.  It  was  the  last 
great  battle  fought  by  the  Royalists.  In  less  than  a  year  Charles  fled  to 
the  Scots,  who  gave  him  up  a  prisoner  to  his  enemies,  by  whom  he  was  tried 
and  executed  in  1649. 

2  The  north:    Northamptonshire;  a  shire  north  of  London. 

3  Rout :  concourse,  multitude. 

4  Wine-press :  an  allusion  to  Rev.  xiv.  18-20. 


66  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

Who  sate  in  the  high  places  and  slew  the  saints  of 
God.1 

It  was  about  the  noon  of  a  glorious  day  of  June, 

That  we  saw  their  banners  dance  and  their  cuirasses2 
shine, 
And  the  man  of  blood3  was  there,  with  his  long4  es- 
senced  hair, 
And  Astley,5  and  Sir  Marmaduke,6  and  Rupert  7  of 
the  Rhine. 

Like    a  servant  of   the   Lord,   with  his  bible   and  his 
sword, 
The  general  rode  along  us  to  form  us  for  the  fight ; 
When  a  murmuring  sound  broke  out,  and  swelled  into 
a  shout 
Among   the   godless    horsemen    upon    the    tyrant's 
right.8 

1  The  saints  of  God:  a  title  arrogated  to  themselves  by  the  Puritan 
party,  most  of  whom  had  by  this  time  separated  wholly  from  the  Church 
ot  England  and  were  bitterly  hostile  to  it.  The  poem  represents  an  account 
of  the  battle  by  one  of  this  class,  and  is  full  of  the  intense  feeling  which  so 
often  blinded  each  party  to  the  merit  possessed  by  the  opposite  side. 

-  Cuirasses:  the  cuirass  is  a  piece  of  armor  covering  the  body  from  the 
neck  to  the  girdle. 

3  Man  of  blood:  a  scriptural  quotation  from  2  Sam.  xvi.  7.  It  was 
applied  by  tlie  Puritans  as  a  term  of  opprobrium  to  Charles  I.,  because  he 
made  war  against  Parliament. 

'  Long  hair:  the  Royalists,  or  Cavaliers,  wore  their  hair  in  long  curls. 
The  Puritans  considered  this  fashion  a  sinful  vanity,  and  cut  their  hair 
off  short  ;  as  this  showed  the  shape  of  the  head,  the  Cavaliers  nicknamed 
them  "  Round  Heads." 

5  Astley:  Lord  Astley.  He  commanded  the  foot-soldiers  of  the  Royalist 
army  at  Naseby.  8  Marmaduke:  see  note  1,  p.  (35. 

7  Rupert:  his  father  was  a  prince  on  the  Rhine. 

H  Right:  the  righl  wing  of  Charles's  army  under  the  command  of  Prince 
Rupert,  nephew  of  the  king.  He  was  a  man  of  impetuous  courage,  but 
lacking  iu  judgment. 


NASEBY,  67 

And  hark  !  like  the  roar  of  the  billows  on  the  shore, 
The  cry  of  battle  rises  along  their  charging  line  : 
For  God !   for  the  Cause  ! x  for  the  Church !    for  the 
laws ! 
For  Charles,  king  of  England,  and  Rupert  of  the 
Rhine!2 

The  furious  German  conies,  with  his  clarions 3  and  his 
drums, 
His  bravoes  4  of  Alsatia  5  and  pages  6  of  Whitehall ; T 
They  are  bursting  on  our  flanks !    Grasp  your  pikes  ! 
Close  your  ranks  ! 
For  Rupert  never  comes,  but  to  conquer  or  to  fall. 

They  are  here  —  they  rush  on  —  we  are  broken  —  we 
are  gone  — 
Our  left  is  borne  before   them  like  stubble  on  the 
blast. 
O  Lord,  put  forth   thy  might !    O   Lord,   defend  the 
right ! 
Stand  back  to  back,  in  God's  name  !  and  fight  it  to 
the  last ! 

Stout  Skippen  8  hath  a  wound  —  the  centre  hath  given 
ground. 

i  The  Cause :  the  Royal  Cause. 

2  Kupert  of  the  Bhine:   historians  speak  of  the  "terror  of  Rupert's 
name." 

3  Clarions :  the  clarion  is  a  trumpet  having  a  peculiarly  shrill  sound,  and 
hence  used  for  giving  signals.  4  Bravoes :  ruffians. 

5  Alsatia :  then  one  of  the  lowest  quarters  of  London.    It  was  frequented 
hy  fugitive  debtors  and  desperate  criminals.         6  Pages  :  royal  attendants. 

7  Whitehall :  the  royal  palace  of  Whitehall,  London. 

8  Skippen:  Philip  Skippen,  or  Skippon,  major-general  of  the  Parliament, 
ary  forces. 


08  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

Hark  !  hark  !  what  means  the  trampling  of  horsemen 

on  our  rear  ? 
Whose  banner  do  I  see,  boys  ?    'Tis  he  !    thank  God ! 

'tis  he,  boys  ! 
Bear  up  another  minute  !     Brave  Oliver J  is  here  ! 

Their  heads  all  stooping  low,  their  points  2  all  in  a  row  : 
Like  a  whirlwind  on  the  trees,  like  a  deluge  on  the 
dikes, 

Our  cuirassiers  have  burst  on  the  ranks  of  the  accurst, 
And  at  a  shock  have  scattered  the  forest  of  his  pikes. 

Fast,  fast,  the  gallants  ride,  in  some  safe  nook  to  hide 
Their  coward  heads,  predestined  to  rot  on  Temple 
Bar;3 
And  he  4  —  he  turns  !    he  flies  !    shame  on  those  cruel 
eyes 
That  bore  to  look  on  torture,  and  dare  not  look  on 
war  ! 

IIo,  comrades  !  scour  the  plain ;   and  ere  ye  strip  the 

slain, 

First  give  another  stab  to  make  your  search  secure  ; 

Then  shake  from  sleeves  and  pockets  their  broad-pieces5 

and  lockets, 

The  tokens  of  the  wanton,0  the  plunder  of  the  poor. 

Oliver:  Oliver  Cromwell.  2  Points:  spear-points. 

y  Temple  Bar :  an  archway  forming  an  entrance  or  gate  to  the  city  of 
London,  pulled  down  in  1878.  It  was  customary  then  to  place  the  heads 
of  traitors  on  this  arch  as  a  warning  to  others.  In  the  civil  war  each  fac- 
tion regarded  the  other  as  guilty  of  the  crime  of  trying  to  overthrow  the 
constitutional  government  of  the  realm. 

4  He  :  Charles  I.  :'  Broad-pieces  :  gold  pieces. 

6  Wanton:  "  tokens  of  the  wanton,"  gifts  or  keepsakes  of  women  of 
low  character. 


NASEBY.  69 

Fools  !  your  doublets *  shone  with  gold,  and  your  hearts 
were  gay  and  bold, 
When  you  kissed  your  lily  hands  to  your  lemans  2 
to-day  ; 
And  to-morrow  shall  the  fox  from  her  chambers  in  the 
rocks 
Lead  forth  her  tawny  cubs  to  howl  above  the  prey. 

Where  be  your  tongues,  that  late  mocked  at  heaven, 
and  hell,  and  fate  ? 
And  the  fingers  that  once  were  so  busy  with  your 
blades  ? 
Your  perfumed  satin  clothes,  your  catche3  3  and  your 
oaths  ? 
Your  stage  plays  and  your  sonnets,  your  diamonds 
and  your  spades  ?  4 

Down  !  down  !  for  ever  down,  with  the  mitre  5  and  the 
crown ! 
With  the  Belial6  of  the  court,  and  the  Mammon  of 
the  Pope  ! 7 

There  is  woe  in  Oxfor  '*    halls,8  there  is  wail  in  Dur- 
ham's stalls  ; 9 

1  Doublet:  a  kind  of  jacket  or  short  coat,  usually  of  silk,  then  worn  by 
men  of  fashion.  2  Lemans :  the  same  as  wantons.    See  note  6,  p.  68. 

3  Catches :  rollicking  songs. 

4  Diamonds  and  spades  :  playing-cards. 

5  Mitre :  a  tall,  pointed,  cleft  cap  worn  by  bishops  and  other  Church 
dignitaries  of  high  rank.    Here  the  word  is  used  for  the  Church  of  England. 

e  Belial :  wickedness ;  from  Belial,  Satan. 

7  Mammon:  worldliness,  love  of  wealth;  from  Mammon,  the  Syrian 
god  of  riches.  8  Oxford:  Oxford  sided  with  the  king. 

9  Durham's  stalls:  stalls,  seats  in  the  choir;  here  "  Durham's  stalls  "  is 
equivalent  to  Durham  Cathedral,  which  was  one  of  the  leading  cathedrals 
on  the  king's  side. 


70  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

The  Jesuit1  smites  his  bosom,  the  bishop  rends  his 
cope.2 

And  she  of  the  seven  hills  3  shall  mourn  her  children's 
ills, 
And  tremble  when  she  thinks  on  the  edge  of  Eng- 
land's sword ; 
And  the  kings  of  earth  in  fear  shall  shudder  when  they 
hear 
What  the  hand  of  God  hath  wrought  for  the  houses  4 

and  the  word  !  5 

Lord  Macaulay. 

l  Jesuit :  a  member  of  the  most  celebrated  of  all  the  Roman  Catholic 
religious  orders,  founded  for  the  purpose  of  resisting  the  spread  of  Protes- 
tantism. Charles  I.  married  a  Catholic  princess  of  France;  the  Parliament- 
ary or  Puritan  Party  in  the  Civil  War  believed  that,  through  the  queen's 
influence,  lie  was  endeavoring  to  reinstate  the  Catholic  religion  in  England, 
and  to  restore  the  Jesuits,  who  had  been  driven  out  of  the  country  in  1(>04. 
But  if  the  king  had  no  sympathy  for  the  Puritans,  he  certainly  was  not  a 
Catholic,  although  he  endeavored,  and  with  good  reason,  to  mitigate  the 
severity  of  the  English  laws  against  the  Catholics. 

-  Cope  :  a  kind  of  cloak  worn  by  bishops  and  other  ecclesiastics. 

3  She  of  the  seven  hills  :  the  Church  of  Rome. 

"•  Houses:  Houses  of  Parliament,  especially  the  House  of  Commons. 

5  The  word:  the  Puritan  faith,  which  its  adherents  maintained  was 
based  solely  on  the  Bible,  or  Word  of  God. 


BANNOCK-BUKN.  71 


BANNOCK-BURN.1 

BOBERT   BRUCE'S    ADDRESS   TO    HIS   ARMY. 

Scots,  wha  2  hae  3  wi' 4  Wallace 5  bled  — ■ 
Scots,  wham 6  Bruce  has  af ten 7  led  — 
Welcome  to  your  gory  bed, 
Or  to  victorie ! 

Now's  the  day,  and  now's  the  hour  ; 
See  the  front  o'  battle  lower  ; 
See  approach  proud  Edward's  power  — 
Chains  and  slaverie  ! 

Wha  will  be  a  traitor  knave  ? 
Wha  can  fill  a  coward's  grave  ? 
Wha  sae  8  base  as  be  a  slave  ? 
Let  him  turn  and  flee  ! 

Wha  for  Scotland's  king  and  law 
Freedom's  sword  will  strongly  draw, 
Freeman  stand  or  freeman  fa'  9  — 
Let  him  follow  me  ! 

1  Bannock-Burn,  near  Stirling,  was  in  1314,  the  scene  of  a  desperate 
battle  between  Edward  II.  of  England  and  Robert  Bruce  the  Scottish  hero. 
The  English,  although  they  had  a  far  larger  force,  were  utterly  defeated, 
and  Edward  narrowly  escaped  capture. 

2  Wha :  who.  6  Wham :  whom. 

3  Hae :  have.  7  Aften :  often. 

4  Wi' :  with.  8  Sae :  so. 

5  Wallace :  see  note  3,  p.  109.  »  Fa' :  fall. 


72  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

By  oppression's  woes  and  pains  ! 
By  your  sons  in  servile  chains  ! 
We  will  drain  our  dearest  veins, 
But  they  shall  be  free  ! 

Lay  the  proud  usurpers  low  ! 

Tyrants  fall  in  every  foe  ! 

Liberty's  in  every  blow  ! 

Let  us  do,  or  die  ! 

Robert  Bcrns. 


LEONIDAS.  73 


LEONIDAS.1 


Shout  for  the  mighty  men 

Who  died  along  this  shore, 

Who  died  within  this  mountain's  glen  ! 

For  never  nobler  chieftain's  head 

Was  laid  on  valor's  crimson  bed, 
Nor  ever  prouder  gore 

Sprang  forth,  than  theirs  who  won  the  day 

Upon  thy  strand,  Thermopylae  ! 

Shout  for  the  mighty  men 

Who  on  the  Persian  tents, 
Like  lions  from  their  midnight  den 
Bounding  on  the  slumbering  deer, 
Rushed  —  a  storm  of  sword  and  spear ; 

Like  the  roused  elements, 
Let  loose  from  an  immortal  hand 
To  chasten  or  to  crush  a  land ! 

But  there  are  none  to  hear  — 

Greece  is  a  hopeless  slave. 
Leonidas  !  no  hand  is  near 

1  Xerxes,  king  of  Persia,  invaded  Greece  with  an  almost  countless  host, 
in  480  B.C.  Leonidas,  king  of  Sparta,  with  a  small  number  of  chosen  men 
defended  the  rocky  pass  of  Thermopylae  (Ther-mop'y-le) ,  until  the  last  of 
his  heroic  hand  fell.  A  monument  was  erected  in  the  pass  by  the  Greeks, 
which  bore  this  inscription :  "  Go,  traveller,  and  tell  at  Lacedsemon  (Lac- 
e-de-mon)  [or  Sparta]  that  we  fell  here  in  obedience  to  her  laws." 


74  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

To  lift  thy  fiery  falchion 1  now ; 
No  warrior  makes  the  warrior's  vow 
Upon  thy  sea-washed  grave. 
The  Yoice  that  should  be  raised  by  men 
Must  now  be  given  by  wave  and  glen. 

And  it  is  given  !     The  surge, 

The  tree,  the  rock,  the  sand 
On  freedom's  kneeling  spirit  urge, 
In  sounds  that  speak  but  to  the  free, 
The  memory  of  thine  and  thee ! 

The  vision  of  thy  band 
Still  gleams  within  the  glorious  dell 
Where  their  gore  hallowed  as  it  fell ! 

And  is  thy  grandeur  done  ? 

Mother  of  men  like  these  ! 
Has  not  thy  outcry  gone 
Where  justice  has  an  ear  to  hear? 
Be  holy!  God  shall  guide  thy  spear, 

Till  in  thy  crimsoned  seas 

Are  plunged  the  chain  and  scimitar. 

Greece  shall  be  a  new-born  star ! 

George  Crolt. 

1  Falchion  (fawl'chon) :  a  short  broadsword  with  a  slightly  curved  point. 


BOADICEA.  75 


BOADICEA.1 


When  the  British  warrior  queen, 
Bleeding  from  the  Roman  rods, 

Sought,  with  an  indignant  mien, 
Counsel  of  her  country's  gods, 

Sage  beneath  the  spreading  oak 

Sat  the  Druid,2  hoary  chief ; 
Every  burning  word  he  spoke 

Full  of  rage  and  full  of  grief : 

Princess  !  if  our  aged  eyes 

Weep  upon  thy  matchless  wrongs, 
Tis  because  resentment  ties 
All  the  terrors  of  our  tongues. 

Rome  shall  perish  —  write  that  word 
In  the  blood  that  she  has  spilt ; 

Perish,  hopeless  and  abhorred, 
Deep  in  ruin  as  in  guilt. 

1  Boadicea  (Bo-ad-i-se'a) :  widow  of  a  British  chief,  and  queen  of  one  of 
the  tribes  of  the  Britons.  The  Romans,  who  had  conquered  Britain,  treated 
her  and  her  daughter  with  atrocious  cruelty  and  insult.  Boadicea  led  a 
revolt  against  the  conquerors  of  her  country,  and  though  at  first  successful 
was  finally  defeated,  and,  according  to  some  accounts,  killed  at  Battle 
Bridge,  in  what  is  now  North  London,  a.d.  62. 

2  Druid :  a  name  of  uncertain  origin,  though  sometimes  derived  from 
drus,  an  oak,  given  to  a  priest  of  the  ancient  Britons.  The  Druids  were 
also  the  poets,  teachers,  and  historians  of  the  people. 


76  HEROIC  BALLADS. 

Rome,  for  empire  far  renowned, 
Tramples  on  a  thousand  states ; 

Soon  her  pride  shall  kiss  the  ground  — 
Hark !  the  Gaul 1  is  at  her  gates ! 

Other  Romans  shall  arise, 

Heedless  of  a  soldier's  name ; 
Sounds,  not  arms,  shall  win  the  prize, 

Harmony  the  path  to  fame. 

Then  the  progeny  that  springs 

From  the  forests  of  our  land, 
Armed  with  thunder,2  clad  with  wings,3 

Shall  a  wider  world  command.4 

Regions  Caesar  never  knew 

Thy  posterity  shall  sway ; 
Where  his  eagles  6  never  flew, 

None  invincible  as  they. 

Such  the  bard's  prophetic  words, 

Pregnant  with  celestial  fire, 
Bending  as  he  swept  the  chords 

Of  his  sweet  but  awful  lyre. 

1  Gaul :  the  Gauls,  or  inhabitants  of  France,  did  not  attack  Rome  or 
invade  Roman  territory  in  Italy  after  284  B.C.  The  city  finally  fell  through 
the  invasion  of  the  northern  barbarians.  Here,  Gaul  may  be  used  in  a 
general  sense  for  any  uncivilized  people. 

2  Thunder:  the  thunder  of  firearms,  especially  cannon. 

3  Wings:  alluding  to  the  sails  of  ships. 

4  Wider  world  command :  Britain  became  the  greatest  exploring,  con- 
quering, and  colonizing  nation  on  the  globe;  but  as  the  ancient  Britons 
were  in  great  measure  killed  off  or  driven  into  Wales  and  Cornwall  by  the 
Saxons  in  the  fifth  century,  they  can  hardly  be  said  to  have  had  much  part 
in  tbis  movement. 

5  Eagles :  alluding  to  the  figure  of  the  eagle  on  the  Roman  war-standards. 


BOADICEA.  77 

She,  with  all  a  monarch's  pride, 

Felt  them  in  her  bosom  glow : 
Rushed  to  battle,  fought,  and  died ; 

Dying,  hurled  them  at  the  foe. 

Ruffians,  pitiless  as  proud, 

Heaven  awards  the  vengeance  due ; 
Empire  is  on  us  bestowed, 

Shame  and  ruin  wait  for  you. 

William  Cowper. 


78  HEROIC   BALLADS. 


MARMION1  AND   DOUGLAS. 


The  train  2  from  out  the  castle  drew, 
But  Marmion  stopp'd  to  bid  adieu : 

"  Though  something  I  might  plain,"  3  he  said, 
"  Of  cold  respect  to  stranger  guest, 
Sent  thither  by  your  king's  behest,4 

While  in  Tantallon's  5  towers  I  stay'd, 
Part  we  in  friendship  from  your  land, 
And,  noble  Earl,  receive  my  hand." 

But  Douglas  round  him  drew  his  cloak, 
Folded  his  arms,  and  thus  he  spoke  : 

1  Marmion :  the  name  of  an  imaginary  English  hero  who  died  fighting 
in  the  great  battle  of  Flodden,  in  the  war  between  Scotland  and  England, 
1513.  See  note  1,  p.  1)8.  Douglas  was  the  name  of  a  noble  Scotch  family 
of  great  wealth  and  inHuenee.  Marmion  goes  as  an  ambassador  from  the 
king  of  England  to  the  Scottish  sovereign.  He  makes  his  journey  before 
hostilities  break  out  between  the  two  countries ;  his  object  being  to  learn  — 

*'  Why  through  all  Scotland,  near  and  far, 
Their  king  is  mustering  troops  for  war." 

{Marmion,  Canto  I.  xx.) 

At  the  request  of  King  James  of  Scotland,  Lord  Douglas  receives  Marmion 
as  his  guest  at  Tantallon  Castle.  The  extract  represents  the  English  knight 
on  the  point  of  bidding  adieu  to  his  host. 

2  The  train  :  the  troops  of  Marmion. 

3  Plain :  complain. 

4  Behest :  command. 

5  Tantallon's  towers  :  Tantallon  Castle,  the  principal  stronghold  of  the 
Douglas  family  in  the  cast  (if  Scotland,  was  built  on  a  rocky  promontory 
overlooking  the  German  Ocean,  or  North  Sea.  It  was  situated  about  two 
miles  from  North  Berwick,  just  at  the  entrance  of  the  Firth  of  Forth. 


MARMION   AND   DOUGLAS.  79 

"  My  manors,1  halls  and  bowers  2  shall  still 

Be  open,  at  my  sovereign's  will, 

To  each  one  whom  he  lists,3  howe'er 

Unmeet 4  to  be  the  owner's  peer.5 

My  castles  are  my  king's  alone 

From  turret 6  to  foundation-stone ; 

The  hand  of  Douglas  is  his  own, 

And  never  shall  in  friendly  grasp 

The  hand  of  such  as  Marmion  clasp." 

Burn'd  Marmion's  swarthy  cheek  like  fire, 
And  shook  his  very  frame  for  ire, 
And,  "  This  to  me  !  "  he  said ; 
"  An  'twere  not  for  thy  hoary  beard, 
Such  hand  as  Marmion's  had  not  spared 

To  cleave  the  Douglas'  head ! 
And,  first,  I  tell  thee,  haughty  Peer,5 
He  who  does  England's  message  here, 
Although  the  meanest  in  her  State, 
May  well,  proud  Angus,7  be  thy  mate  : 
And,  Douglas,  more  I  tell  thee  here 

Even  in  thy  pitch  of  pride,8 
Here  in  thy  hold,9  thy  vassals  near, 
(Nay,  never  look  upon  your  lord, 
And  lay  your  hands  upon  your  sword,10) 

1  Man'ors  :  the  estates  of  a  lord  or  person  of  rank. 
-Bowers:  chambers.  4  Unmeet:  unfit. 

s  Lists  :  chooses.  5  Peer :  equal ;  but  in  second  instance,  lord. 

G  Turret :  a  small  tower,  usually  rising  above  a  larger  one  as  a  look-out 
station ;  hence,  the  topmost  tower. 

7  Angus :  Douglas  was  earl  of  Angus. 

8  Pitch  of  pride  :  here,  apparently,  equivalent  to  lofty  castle. 

9  Hold:  stronghold. 

10  This  speech  in  parenthesis  is  addressed  to  the  vassals  or  dependents  of 
Douglas. 


80  HEROIC    BALLADS. 

I  tell  thee,  thou'rt  defied  ! 
And,  if  thou  said'st  I  am  not  peer 
To  any  lord  in  Scotland  here, 
Lowland  or  Highland,  far  or  near, 

Lord  Angus,  thou  hast  lied  !  " 

On  the  Earl's  cheek  the  flush  of  ra^e 
O'ercame  the  ashen  hue  of  age ; 
Fierce  he  broke  forth,  "And  darest  thou  then 
To  beard  the  lion  in  his  den, 

The  Douglas  in  his  hall? 
And  hopest  thou  hence  unscathed :  to  go  ? 
No,  by  Saint  Bride  2  of  Bothwell,  no  ! 
Up  drawbridge,3  grooms, 4  —  what,  Warder,  ho  ! 
Let  the  portcullis  5  fall." 

Lord  Marmion  turn'd,  —  well  was  his  need  !  — 
And  dash'd  the  rowels6  in  his  steed, 
Like  arrow  through  the  archway  sprung ; 
The  ponderous  gate7  behind  him  rung: 
To  pass  there  was  such  scanty  room, 
The  bars,  descending,  razed  8  his  plume. 

The  steed  along  the  drawbridge  flies, 
Just  as  it  trembled  on  the  rise ; 

1  Unscathed :  unharmed. 

'2  Saint  Bride  of  Bothwell :  Bothwell  is  on  the  Clyde  a  short  distance 
above  Glasgow;  here  there  is  an  old  church  which  may  have  been  dedicated 
to  St.  Bride  (or  Bridget)  of  Ireland,  as  many  churches  were  throughout 
the  British  Isles. 

•'Drawbridge:  a  bridge  over  the  moat  or  ditch  in  front  of  the  main 
entrance  of  the  castle.     It  was  raised  and  lowered  by  chains. 

4  Grooms :  servants. 

6  Portcullis  :  a  Btrong,  heavy  grating  sliding  in  a  vertical  groove.  When 
let  down,  it  barred  entrance  to  the  castle. 

6  Bowels :  spurs.  7  Gate  :  the  portcullis.  8  Kazed  :  here,  grazed. 


MARMION   AND    DOUGLAS.  81 

Not  lighter  does  the  swallow  skim 
Along  the  smooth  lake's  level  brim ; 
And,  when  Lord  Marmion  reach'd  his  band, 
He  halts,  and  turns  with  clenched  hand, 
And  shout  of  loud  defiance  pours, 
And  shook  his  gauntlet1  at  the  towers. 

Sir  Walter  Scott. 

1  Gauntlet :  a  glove  plated  with  steel,  and  coming  up  so  as  to  protect  the 
lower  arm. 


82  HEROIC  BALLADS. 


SCOTLAND'S   MAIDEN   MARTYR.1 


A  TROOP  of  soldiers  waited  at  the  door, 
A  crowd  of  people  gather'd  in  the  street, 
Aloof  a  little  from  them  sabres  gleam'd, 
And  flash'd  into  their  faces.     Then  the  door 
Was  open'd,  and  two  women  meekly  stepp'd 
Into  the  sunshine  of  the  sweet  May-noon, 
Out  of  the  prison.     One  was  weak  and  old, 
A  woman  full  of  tears  and  full  of  woes ; 

i  In  1038  Charles  I.  endeavored  to  compel  the  Church  of  Scotland,  which 
was  strongly  Presbyterian,  to  use  the  service-book  of  the  Episcopal  Church 
of  England. 

The  people  of  all  classes  rose  against  those  who  were  sent  to  enforce  the 
king's  will,  and  signed  a  covenant  or  solemn  oath  to  maintain  their  own 
national  church  and  furthermore  to  require  others  to  accept  it. 

When  Charles  II.  came  to  the  throne  he  ordered  the  Covenant  to  be 
burned,  and  an  act  was  passed  ordering  all  persons  to  refuse  and  condemn 
it  as  an  unlawful  oath. 

Those  who  persisted  in  maintaining  the  Covenant  were  now  regarded 
by  the  government  as  rebels  and  were  treated  with  frightful  severity.  All 
religious  meetings  of  the  Covenanters  were  denounced  under  pain  of  death. 
These  extreme  measures  provoked  insurrection  and  almost  civil  war. 

John  Graham,  better  known  as  Claverhouse,  was  especially  cruel  in  his 
persecution  of  those  who  refused  to  renounce  the  Covenant. 

In  168H  two  women  were  tied  to  stakes  and  drowned  in  the  rising  tide 
at  Solway  Firth,  in  the  southwest  of  Scotland,  for  persisting  in  holding  to 
the  Covenant.  One  was  Margaret  M'Lauchlan,  who  was  advanced  in  years ; 
and  the  other  Margaret  Wilson,  a  girl  of  eighteen. 

Burton  in  his  History  of  Scotland  (Vol.  VII.)  coolly  remarks  that  "  these 
ferocities"  were  limited  to  a  small  corner  of  the  southwest  of  Scotland, 
and  that  "  there  was  not  much  sympathy  with  the  sufferers  in  other  parts 
of  the  country." 


SCOTLAND'S   MAIDEN   MARTYR.  83 

The  other  was  a  maiden  in  her  morn  ; 
And  they  were  one  in  name  and  one  in  faith, 
Mother  and  daughter  in  the  bond  of  Christ, 
That  bound  them  closer  than  the  ties  of  blood. 

The  troop  moved  on  ;  and  down  the  sunny  street 
The  people  follow'd,  ever  falling  back 
As  in  their  faces  fiash'd  the  naked  blades. 
But  in  the  midst  the  women  simply  went 
As  if  they  two  were  walking,  side  by  side, 
Up  to  God's  house  on  some  still  Sabbath  morn ; 
Only  they  were  not  clad  for  Sabbath  day, 
But  as  they  went  about  their  daily  tasks : 
They  went  to  prison  and  they  went  to  death, 
Upon  their  Master's  service. 

On  the  shore 
The  troopers  halted ;  all  the  shining  sands 
Lay  bare  and  glistering ; 1  for  the  tide  had 
Drawn  back  to  its  farthest  margin's  weedy  mark ; 
And  each  succeeding  wave,  with  flash  and  curve, 
That  seem'd  to  mock  the  sabres  on  the  shore, 
Drew  nearer  by  a  hand-breadth.     "  It  will  be 
A  long  day's  work,"  murmur'd  those  murderous  men, 
As  they  slack'd  rein.     The  leader  of  the  troops 
Dismounted,  and  the  people  passing  near 
Then  heard  the  pardon  proffer'd,  with  the  oath 
Renouncing  and  abjuring  2  part  with  all 
The  persecuted,  covenanted  folk. 
But  both  refused  the  oath ;  "  because,"  they  said, 

1  Glistering :  glistening. 

2  Abjuring :  swearing  to  give  up  or  withdraw  from. 


84  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

"  Unless  with  Christ's  dear  servants  we  have  part, 
We  have  no  part  with  Him." 

On  this  they  took 
The  elder  Margaret,  and  led  her  out 
Over  the  sliding  sands,  the  weedy  sludge,1 
The  pebbly  shoals,  far  out,  and  fasten'd  her 
Unto  the  farthest  stake,  already  reach'd 
By  every  rising  wave,  and  left  her  there  : 
And  as  the  waves  crept  round  her  feet,  she  pray'd 
"  That  He  would  firm  uphold  her  in  their  midst, 
Who  holds  them  in  the  hollow  of  His  hand." 

The  tide  flow'd  in.     And  up  and  down  the  shore 
There  paced  the  Provost 2  and  the  Laird  3  of  Lag,  — 
Grim  Grierson,  —  with  Windram  and  with  Graham;4 
And  the  rude  soldiers,  jesting  with  coarse  oaths, 
As  in  the  midst  the  maiden  meekly  stood, 
Waiting  her  doom,  delay'd,  said  "  she  would 
Turn  before  the  tide,  —  seek  refuge  in  their  arms 
From  the  chill  waves."     But  ever  to  her  lips 
There  came  the  wondrous  words  of  life  and  peace : 
"  If  God  be  for  us,  who  can  be  against  ?  " 
"  Who  shall  divide  us  from  the  love  of  Christ  ?  " 
"  Nor  height,  nor  depth,  nor  any  other  creature." 

From  the  crowd 
A  woman's  voice  cried  a  very  bitter  cry,  — 
"  O  Margaret  !  my  bonnie,5  bonnie  Margaret ! 

1  Sludge  :  mud,  mire.  2  Provost :  the  magistrate  or  mayor. 

8  Laird:  lord;  often  used  for  a  Scottish  squire  or  country  gentleman. 
4  Graham:  this  was  not  John  Graham  of  Claverhouse  hut  his  hrother, 
who  was  sheriff.  e  Bonnie  :  pretty. 


SCOTLAND'S   MAIDEN   MARTYR.  85 

Gie  1  in,  gie  in,  my  bairnie,2  dinna  3  ye  drown, 
Gie  in,  and  tak'  the  oath." 

The  tide  flow'd  in ; 
And  so  wore  on  the  sunny  afternoon  ; 
And  every  fire  went  out  upon  the  hearth, 
And  not  a  meal  was  tasted  in  the  town  4  that  day. 
And  still  the  tide  was  flowing  in  : 
Her  mother's  voice  yet  sounding  in  her  ear, 
They  turn'd  young  Margaret's  face  towards  the  sea, 
Where  something  white  was  floating,  —  something 
White  as  the  sea-mew  5  that  sits  upon  the  wave  : 
But  as  she  look'd  it  sank ;  then  show'd  again ; 
Then  disappear'd ;  and  round  the  shore 
And  stake  the  tide  stood  ankle-deep. 

Then  Grierson 
With  cursing  vow'd  that  he  would  wait 
No  more ;  and  to  the  stake  the  soldier  led  her 
Down,  and  tied  her  hands  ;  and  round  her 
Slender  waist  too  roughly  cast  the  rope,  for 
Windram  came  and  eased  it  while  he  whisper'd 
In  her  ear,  "  Come,  take  the  test6  and  ye  are  free  "  ; 
And  one  cried,  "  Margaret,  say  but  God  save 
The  King ! "  "  God  save  the  King  of  his  great  grace," 
She  answer'd,  but  the  oath  she  would  not  take. 

And  still  the  tide  flow'd  in, 
And  drove  the  people  back  and  silenced  them. 

1  Gie  in :  give  in,  submit.       2  Bairnie  :  child.       s  Dinna :  do  not,  don't. 

4  The  town :  the  town  of  Wigton,  on  Solway  Firth,  where  this  martyrdom 
occurred. 

5  Sea-mew :  a  species  of  gull  or  sea-bird  having  white  plumage. 

6  Test:  here  meaning  the  oath  of  abjuration  of  the  Covenant. 


86  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

The  tide  flow'd  in,  and  rising  to  her  knees, 

She  sang  the  psalm,  "  To  Thee  I  lift  my  soul "  ; 1 

The  tide  flow'd  in,  and  rising  to  her  waist, 

"  To  Thee,  my  God,  I  lift  my  soul,"  she  sang. 

The  tide  flow'd  in,  and  rising  to  her  throat, 

She  sang  no  more,  but  lifted  up  her  face, 

And  there  was  glory  over  all  the  sky, 

And  there  was  glory  over  all  the  sea, — 

A  flood  of  glory,  —  and  the  lifted  face 

Swam  in  it2  till  it  bow'd  beneath  the  flood, 

And  Scotland's  Maiden  Martyr  went  to  God. 


Anonymous. 


1  Psalm  xxv. 

2  Compare  Tennyson's  "  Two  Voices,"  — 

"  But  looking  upward,  full  of  grace, 
He  prayed,  and  from  a  happy  place 
God's  glory  smote  him  on  the  face." 


THE  EXECUTION  OF  MONTROSE.         87 


THE  EXECUTION  OF  MONTROSE. 


I. 

Come  hither,  Evan  Cameron, 
Come,  stand  beside  my  knee  — 

I  hear  the  river  roaring  down 
Towards  the  wintry  sea. 

There's  shouting  on  the  mountain-side, 
^    There's  war  within  the  blast  — 

Old  faces  look  upon  me, 

Old  forms  go  trooping  past ; 

I  hear  the  pibroch  2  wailing 

1  James  Grahame,  Marquis  of  Montrose,  was  born  in  Edinburgh  in  1612. 
During  the  English  Civil  War  between  King  Charles  I.  of  England  and 
Parliament,  Montrose  served  at  first  on  the  side  of  the  people,  but  eventu- 
ally went  over  to  the  Royalists.  Charles  made  him  Marquis  of  Montrose 
and  commander-in-chief  of  the  Scottish  army. 

He  gained  several  victories  for  the  crown,  but  was  defeated  by  General 
Leslie  at  Philiphaugh  in  1645. 

Montrose  then  went  to  the  continent,  but  after  the  execution  of  Charles 
I.  by  Parliament,  he  returned  to  Scotland  in  1650,  and  led  an  insurrection 
in  behalf  of  Prince  Charles  (Charles  II.).  The  effort  failed,  and  the  Mar- 
quis was  taken  prisoner  and  executed  "  with  all  the  vindictive  insult  which 
his  hereditary  enemy,  the  Marquis  of  Argyle,"  could  heap  upon  him. 

"Montrose,"  said  an  eminent  French  nobleman,  "is  the  only  man  in 
the  world  that  has  ever  realized  to  me  the  ideas  of  certain  heroes,  whom 
we  now  discover  nowhere  but  in  the  lives  of  Plutarch."  Professor  Aytoun 
states  that  in  the  historical  incidents  recorded  in  the  following  ballad  there 
is  no  element  of  fiction.  "  It  may,"  he  says,  "be  considered  as  a  narrative 
related  by  an  aged  Highlander  who  had  followed  Montrose  through  his 
campaigns,  to  his  grandson  —  Evan  Cameron." 

2  Pibroch :  the  battle-music  of  the  bagpipe. 


88  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

Amidst  the  din  of  light, 
And  my  dim  spirit  wakes  again 
Upon  the  verge  of  night. 

ir. 

'Twas  I  that  led  the  Highland  host 1 

Through  wild  Lochaher's  2  snows, 
"What  time  the  plaided  3  clans  4  came  down 

To  hattle  with  Montrose. 
I've  told  thee  how  the  Southrons  5  fell 

Beneath  the  broad  claymore,6 
And  how  we  smote  the  Campbell  clan,7 

By  Inverlochy's  8  shore. 
I've  told  thee  how  we  swept  Dundee,9 

And  tamed  the  Lindsays' 10  pride  ; 

1  Highland  host :  the  Highlanders  were,  as  a  rule,  on  the  side  of  the 

kin-. 

2  Lochaher's  snows  :  Lochaher  is  a  wild,  mountainous  district  in  Inver- 
ness, in  the  northeast  of  Scotland. 

3  Plaided :  the  plaid  is  a  shawl-like  garment  formerly  worn  hy  all 
Highlanders. 

4  Clans :  among  the  Highlands  a  clan  consisted  of  all  the  common 
descendants  of  the  same  ancestor  —  hence  a  family  or  trihe.  These  battles 
between  the  Highland  clans  and  Montrose  occurred  when  Montrose  was 
fighting  against  the  king;  later  he  espoused  his  cause,  and  then,  of  course, 
the  Highlanders  were  on  his  side. 

6  Southrons  :  the  English. 

6  Claymore  :  a  heavy,  two-edged  sword. 

"  Campbell  clan  :  the  Marquis  of  Argyle  (Archibald  Campbell)  with  his 
clan  fought  against  the  king  in  the  Civil  War. 

8  Inverlochy :  Inverlochy  Castle  stands  on  a  height  overlooking  Loch 
(Lake)  Eil  in  the  southwestern  part  of  Inverness,  Central  Scotland. 

'■>  Dundee :  a  city  in  the  east  of  Scotland,  on  the  river  Tay.  It  was 
strongly  opposed  to  the  king.  Montrose  with  his  men  took  the  place 
in  1045. 

in  Lindsays'  pride :  apparently  referring  to  raids  made  by  Montrose  in 
Forfarshire,  in  the  east  of  Scotland,  where  many  of  the  Lindsay  family 
resided. 


THE  EXECUTION  OF  MONTROSE.         89 

But  never  have  I  told  thee  yet 
How  the  great  Marquis  l  died. 

in. 

A  traitor  sold  him  to  his  foes  ; 

O  deed  of  deathless  shame  ! 
I  charge  thee,  boy,  if  e'er  thou  meet 

With  one  of  Assynt's  name  2  — 
Be  it  upon  the  mountain's  side, 

Or  yet  within  the  glen, 
Stand  he  in  martial  gear  alone, 

Or  backed  by  armed  men  — 
Face  him  as  thou  wouldst  face  the  man 

Who  wronged  thy  sire's  renown  ; 
Remember  of  what  blood  thou  art, 

And  strike  the  caitiff  down  ! 

IV. 

They  brought  him  to  the  Watergate,3 
Hard  bound  with  hempen  span,4 

As  though  they  held  a  lion  there, 
And  not  a  fenceless  5  man. 

They  set  him  high  upon  a  cart 6  — 

1  Marquis  :  the  Marquis  of  Montrose ;  he  was  executed  at  Edinburgh. 

2  Assynt :  Macleod  of  Assynt,  a  former  adherent  of  Montrose,  to  whom 
the  Marquis  applied  for  food  and  shelter,  basely  betrayed  him  to  his  enemies. 

3  Watergate :  a  gate  at  the  east  of  the  city,  near  Holyrood  Palace,  in 
the  old  wall  which  formerly  surrounded  Edinburgh. 

4  Span :  rope.  5  Fenceless  :  defenceless. 

6  Cart :  they  placed  Montrose  high  upon  a  cart,  taking  off  his  hat  and 
binding  his  hands,  in  the  hope  that  the  people  would  stone  him,  and  that 
he  might  not  be  able  to  save  his  face  with  his  hands.  But  even  those  who 
had  been  hired  to  stone  him  were  so  moved  by  his  noble  bearing  that  they 
could  not  find  heart  to  carry  out  their  purpose. 


90  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

The  hangman  rode  below  — 
They  drew  his  hands  behind  his  baek, 

And  bared  his  noble  brow. 
Then,  as  a  hound  is  slipped  from  leash,1 

They  cheered,  the  common  throng, 
And  blew  the  note  with  yell  and  shout, 

And  bade  him  pass  along. 

v. 

It  would  have  made  a  brave  man's  heart 

Grow  sad  and  sick  that  day, 
To  watch  the  keen,  malignant  eyes 

Bent  down  on  that  array. 
There  stood  the  Whig2  west-country  lords, 

In  balcony  and  bow  ; 3 
There  sat  the  gaunt  and  withered  dames, 

And  their  daughters  all  a-row. 
And  every  open  window 

Was  full  as  full  might  be 
With  black-robed  Covenanting4  carles,5 

That  goodly  sport  to  see  ! 

VI. 

But  when  he  came,  though  pale  and  wan, 

He  looked  so  great  and  high, 
So  noble  was  his  manly  front, 

So  calm  his  steadfast  eye ;  — 

i  Leaah  :  a  cord  for  holding  a  dog. 

-Whig:  the  Whig  party  had  its  origin  in  Southwestern  Scotland,  and 
sprang  from  the  clan  that  was  opposed  to  Charles  I.  and  to  his  son. 

15  Bow  :  a  bow  nr  bay-window. 

*  Covenanting  carles :  those  who  had  hound  themselves  by  the  Cove- 
nant or  oath  to  maintain  the  Scottish  Church.  During  the  Civil  War  they 
were  opposed  to  the  king.  5  Carles  ;  low,  hase  fellows. 


THE   EXECUTION   OF   MONTROSE.  91 

The  rabble  rout  forebore  to  shout, 

And  each  man  held,  his  breath, 
For  well  they  knew  the  hero's  soul 

Was  face  to  face  with  death. 
And  then  a  mournful  shudder 

Through  all  the  people  crept, 
And  some  that  came  to  scoff  at  him 

Now  turned  aside  and  wept. 

VII. 

But  onwards  —  always  onwards, 

In  silence  and  in  gloom, 
The  dreary  pageant  labored,1 

Till  it  reached  the  house  of  doom.2 
Then  first  a  woman's  voice  3  was  heard 

In  jeer  and  laughter  loud, 
And  an  angry  cry  and  a  hiss  arose 

From  the  heart  of  the  tossing  crowd : 
Then  as  the  Graeme4  looked  upwards, 

He  saw  the  ugly  smile 
Of  him  who  sold  his  king  for  gold  — 

The  master-fiend  Argyle  !  5 

1  Labored :  the  procession  was  three  hours  passing  from  the  Watergate 
to  the  Tolbooth,  or  city  prison,  though  the  distance  was  less  than  a  mile. 

2  House  of  doom  :  the  Tolbooth,  or  prison. 

3  A  woman's  voice :  the  only  person  who  insulted  Montrose  was  the 
Lady  Jean  Gordon,  Countess  of  Haddington.  She  was  the  niece  of  Argyle, 
—  Montrose's  life-long  enemy,  — and  is  said  to  have  been  of  infamous 
character. 

4  The  Graeme  :  the  same  as  Grahame ;  the  family  name  of  Montrose. 

5  Argyle :  Archibald  Campbell,  Earl  and  Marquis  of  Argyle.  During 
the  Civil  War  he  fought  on  the  side  of  the  Covenanters  against  the  king, 
and  was  particularly  cruel  toward  Royalist  prisoners.  After  the  king's 
capture  it  was  thought  by  some  that  Argyle  and  Cromwell  plotted  his 
execution.  (See  Burton's  History  of  Scotland,  VII.  245.)  He  suffered 
death,  on  a  charge  of  treason,  1661. 


92  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

VIII. 

The  Marquis  gazed  a  moment, 

And  nothing  did  he  say, 
But  the  cheek  of  Argyle  grew  ghastly  pale 

And  he  turned  his  eyes  away. 
The  painted  harlot  by  his  side, 

She  shook  through  every  limb, 
For  a  roar  like  thunder  swept  the  street, 

And  hands  were  clenched  at  him ; 
And  a  Saxon1  soldier  cried  aloud, 

"  Back,  coward,  from  thy  place  ! 
For  seven  long  years  thou  hast  not  dared 

To  look  him  in  the  face." 

IX. 

Had  I  been  there  with  sword  in  hand, 

And  fifty  Camerons2  by, 
That  day  through  high  Dunedhvs3  streets 

Had  pealed  the  slogan-cry.4 
Not  all  their  troops  of  trampling  horse, 

Nor  might  of  mailed  5  men  — 
Not  all  the  rebels  in  the  south 6 

Had  borne  us  backwards  then ! 
Once  more  his  foot  on  highland  heath7 

1  Saxon :  English. 

-  Camerons  :  the  clan  of  Cameron  was  on  the  side  of  the  king,  and  hence 
friendly  to  Montrose. 

;iDunedin:  an  ancient  name  of  Edinburgh.        4  Slogan-cry:  war-cry. 

6  Mailed  (pronounced  here  in  two  syllables,  muil'ed);  wearing  linked 
or  mail  armor. 

0  The  south:  England  is  usually  meant  by  "the  south,''  but  here  the 
south  of  Scotland,  in  distinction  from  the  Highlands,  appears  to  be  re- 
ferred to.  "  Heath  :  waste  land  covered  with  heath  or  heather. 


THE  EXECUTION  OF  MONTROSE.         93 

Had  trod  as  free  as  air, 
Or  I,  and  all  who  bore  my  name, 
Been  laid  around  him  there  ! 

x. 

It  might  not  be.     They  placed  him  next 

Within  the  solemn  hall,1 
Where  once  the  Scottish  kings  were  throned 

Amidst  their  nobles  all. 
But  there  was  dust  of  vulgar  feet 

On  that  polluted  floor, 
And  perjured  traitors  filled  the  place 

Where  good  men  sate  before. 
With  savage  glee  came  Warristoun,2 

To  read  the  murderous  doom ; 
And  then  uprose  the  great  Montrose 

In  the  middle  of  the  room. 

XI. 

"  Now,  by  my  faith,  as  belted  knight,3 

And  by  the  name  I  bear, 
And  by  the  bright  Saint  Andrew's  cross4 

That  waves  above  us  there  — 
Yea,  by  a  greater,  mightier  oath  — 

And  oh,  that  such  should  be  !  — 


1  Hall :  the  Parliament  House,  Edinburgh. 

2  Warristoun :  Archibald  Johnston  of  Warristoun,  an  inveterate  enemy 
of  Montrose.  He  met  the  same  fate  as  Montrose  some  years  later,  and 
died  the  death  of  a  coward. 

3  Belted  knight :  the  belt  was  a  badge  or  sign  of  knighthood. 

4  Saint  Andrew's  cross  :  the  cross  of  Scotland  on  the  Scottish  flag,  Saint 
Andrew  being  the  patron  saint  of  Scotland. 


94  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

By  that  dark  stream  of  royal  .blood1 

That  lies  'twixt  you  and  me  — 
I  have  not  sought  in  battle-field 

A  wreath  of  such  renown, 
Nor  dared  I  hope  on  my  dying  day 

To  win  the  martyr's  crown  ! 

XII. 

"  There  is  a  chamber  far  away 

Where  sleep  the  good  and  brave, 
But  a  better  place  ye  have  named  for  me 

Than  by  my  father's  grave. 
For  truth  and  right,  'gainst  treason's  might, 

This  hand  hath  always  striven, 
And  ye  raise  it  up  for  a  witness  still 

In  the  eye  of  earth  and  heaven. 
Then  nail  my  head  on  yonder  tower  2  — 

Give  every  town  a  limb3  — 
And  God  who  made  shall  gather  them: 

I  go  from  you  to  Him  !  " 

XIII. 

The  morning  dawned  full  darkly, 

The  rain  came  flashing  down, 
And  the  jagged  streak  of  the  levin-bolt4 

Lit  up  the  gloomy  town  : 

1  Royal  blood :  an  allusion  to  the  belief  that  Argyle  had  been  concerned 
in  the  execution  of  Charles  I.    See  note  S,  p.  91. 

J  Tower  :  ;i  pinnacle  of  the  prison  on  which,  according  to  the  sentence, 
his  head  was  to  be  fastened  oil  :m  iron  pin. 

3  A  limb  :  by  the  death  sentence  the  body  was  to  be  quartered,  and  the 
limbs  fastened  up  in  public  places  in  four  of  the  principal  towns  of  Scotland. 

4  Levin-bolt:  lightning;  the  thunderbolt. 


THE  EXECUTION  OF  MONTROSE.         95 

The  thunder  crashed  across  the  heaven, 

The  fatal  hour  was  come ; 
Yet  aye x  broke  in  with  muffled  beat, 

The  'larum  2  of  the  drum. 
There  was  madness  on  the  earth  below 

And  anger  in  the  sky, 
And  young  and  old,  and  rich  and  poor, 

Came  forth  to  see  him  die. 

XIV. 

Ah,  God  !  that  ghastly  gibbet ! 3 

How  dismal  'tis  to  see 
The  great,  tall,  spectral  skeleton, 

The  ladder  and  the  tree  ! 4 
Hark  !  hark  !  it  is  the  clash  of  arms  — 

The  bells  begin  to  toll  — 
"  He  is  coming !  he  is  coming  ! 

God's  mercy  on  his  soul !  " 
One  last,  long  peal  of  thunder  — 

The  clouds  are  cleared  away, 
And  the  glorious  sun  once  more  looks  down 

Amidst  the  dazzling  day. 

xv. 

"  He  is  coming !  he  is  coming !  " 
Like  a  bridegroom  5  from  his  room 

1  Aye  :  ever,  constantly. 

2  'Larum  (alarm) :  here,  the  roll  or  beat  of  drums. 

3  Gibbet :  the  gibbet,  or  gallows,  was  erected  iu  the  Grassmarket,  a  large 
square  near  the  castle  in  the  old  city  of  Edinburgh.  In  executions  there 
the  criminal  was  obliged  to  mount  a  high  ladder  placed  at  the  side  of  the 
gallows;  after  the  hangman,  who  accompanied  him,  had  adjusted  the 
halter,  he  pushed  the  victim  off  the  ladder. 

4  Tree  :  another  name  for  the  gallows. 

5  Bridegroom :  Montrose  was  richly  dressed  in  scarlet  overlaid  with 
silver  lace,  so  that  he  looked  rather  like  a  bridegroom  going  to  his  wed- 
ding than  a  criminal  going  to  the  gallows. 


96  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

Came  the  hero  from  his  prison 

To  the  scaffold  and  the  doom. 
There  was  glory  on  his  forehead, 

There  was  lustre  in  his  eye, 
And  he  never  walked  to  battle 

More  proudly  than  to  die ; 
There  was  color  in  his  visage 

Though  the  cheeks  of  all  were  wan, 
And  they  marvelled  as  they  saw  him  pass, 

That  great  and  goodly  man  ! 

XVI. 

He  mounted  up  the  scaffold, 

And  he  turned  him  to  the  crowd ; 
But  they  dared  not  trust  the  people, 

So  he  might  not  speak  aloud. 
But  he  looked  upon  the  heavens, 

And  they  were  clear  and  blue, 
And  in  the  liquid  ether 

The  eye  of  God  shone  through. 
Yet  a  black  and  murky  battlement1 

Lay  resting  on  the  hill. 
As  though  the  thunder  slept  within  — 

All  else  was  calm  and  still. 

xvn. 

The  grim  Geneva  ministers2 
With  anxious  scowl  drew  near, 

1  Battlement :  tin-  battlement  or  wall  of  the  castle  of  Edinburgh.  It 
overlooks  the  Grassmarket. 

2  Geneva  ministers  :  the  Presbyterian  ministers  —  those  opposed  to  the 
Church  of  England  and  to  the  kin<,r.  They  arc;  called  "Geneva  minis- 
ters "  because  Calvin,  the  1'rotestant  Keformer,  was  originally  their  teacher 
at  Geneva,  Switzerland. 


THE  EXECUTION  OF  MONTROSE.         97 

As  you  have  seen  the  ravens  flock 

Around  the  dying  deer. 
He  would  not  deign  them  word  nor  sign, 

But  alone  he  bent  the  knee ; 
And  veiled  his  face  for  Christ's  dear  grace 

Beneath  the  gallows-tree. 
Then  radiant  and  serene  he  rose, 

And  cast  his  cloak  away  : 
For  he  had  ta'en  his  latest  look 

Of  earth  and  sun  and  day. 

XVIII. 

A  beam  of  light  fell  o'er  him, 

Like  a  glory  round  the  shriven,1 
And  he  climbed  the  lofty  ladder 

As  it  were  the  path  to  heaven. 
Then  came  a  flash  2  from  out  the  cloud, 

And  a  stunning  thunder-roll ; 
And  no  man  dared  to  look  aloft, 

For  fear  was  on  every  soul. 
There  was  another  heavy  sound,3 

A  hush  and  then  a  groan ; 4 
And  darkness  swept  across  the  sky  — 

The  work  of  death  was  done  ! 

Professor  Attoun. 

1  Shriven:  absolved,  purified  from  guilt;  said  originally  of  one  who 
had  confessed  his  sins  to  a  priest  and  received  absolution. 

5  Flash  :  the  flash  of  the  cannon  from  the  battlement  giving  the  signal 
for  the  execution. 

3  Sound  :  the  fall  of  the  body  when  it  was  pushed  off  the  ladder. 

4  Groan :  the  multitude  present  at  the  execution  uttered  "a  general 
groan." 

This  ballad  should  be  compared  with  Sir  Walter  Scott's  "  Legends  of 
Montrose,"  which  represent  the  Marquis  in  a  different  light. 


98  HEROIC   BALLADS. 


EDINBURGH   AFTER   FLODDEN.1 


I. 

News  of  battle  !  —  news  of  battle ! 

Hark  !  'tis  ringing  down  the  street : 
And  the  archways  and  the  pavement 

Bear  the  clang  of  hurrying  feet. 
News  of  battle  !  who  hath  brought  it  ? 

News  of  triumph  ?     Who  should  bring 
Tidings  from  our  noble  army, 

Greetings  from  our  gallant  King  ? 
All  last  night  we  watched  the  beacons 

1  Flodden. :  a  hill  in  Northumberland  in  the  northeast  of  England.  It 
is  but  a  few  miles  south  of  the  Scottish  border  or  boundary.  Here  in  1513 
a  desperate  battle  was  fought  between  the  Scotch  and  the  English  forces. 

James  IV.  of  Scotland  thought  to  take  advantage  of  the  absence  of 
Henry  VIII.  of  England,  who  was  then  ou  the  continent,  to  renew  an  alli- 
ance with  France,  England's  old  enemy. 

The  Scottish  king  easily  found  causes  of  complaint  against  Henry,  and 
demanded  satisfaction.  That  monarch  returned  a  contemptuous  answer, 
and  James  declared  war,  and  invaded  England. 

The  Earl  of  Surrey  led  the  English.  James  commanded  his  own  troops. 
The  result  of  the  battle  was  the  defeat  of  the  Scotch,  though  so  valiantly 
did  they  fight  that  the  English  just  barely  gained  an  indecisive  victory. 
The  Scottish  army,  however,  lost  an  enormous  number,  among  whom  was 
King  .lames  witli  all  his  chief  men — in  fact  so  terrible  was  the  slaughter 
that  it  is  said  that  "every  noble  house  in  Scotland  left  some  of  its  name 
on  the  fatal  field." 

The  news  of  the  defeat  at  Flodden  caused  the  wildest  grief,  especially 
in  Edinburgh.  Later  the  citizens  of  that  place  rallied  and  built  a  new  wall 
round  their  city,  but  the  English  did  not  advance;  there  was  no  second 
battle,  and  peace  was  made  between  the  combatants. 


EDINBURGH   AFTER   FLODDEN.  99 

Blazing  on  the  hills  afar, 
Each  one  bearing,  as  it  kindled, 

Message  of  the  opened  war. 
All  night  Ions'  the  northern  streamers x 

Shot  across  the  trembling  sky : 
Fearful  lights  that  never  beckon 

Save  when  king's  or  heroes  die. 


ok 


n. 
News  of  battle !     Who  hath  brought  it  ? 

All  are  thronging  to  the  gate ; 
"  Warder  2  —  warder !  open  quickly ; 

Man  —  is  this  a  time  to  wait  ?  " 
And  the  heavy  gates  are  opened  : 

Then  a  murmur  long  and  loud, 
And  a  cry  of  fear  and  wonder 

Bursts  from  out  the  bending  crowd. 
For  they  see  in  battered  harness  3 

Only  one  hard-stricken  man  ; 
And  his  weary  steed  is  wounded, 

And  his  cheek  is  pale  and  wan : 
Spearless  hangs  a  bloody  banner 

In  his  weak  and  drooping  hand  — 
God !  can  that  be  Randolph  Murray, 

Captain  of  the  city  band  ?  4 

in. 

Round  him  crush  the  people,  crying, 
"  Tell  us  all ;  oh,  tell  us  true  ! 

1  Northern  streamers  :  the  Aurora  Borealis  or  Northern  Lights. 

2  Warder :    a  guard  or  sentinel ;    one  who  kept  the  gate  of  the  city, 
which  was  walled  and  fortified. 

3  Harness  :  armor.  4  City  band  :  the  guard  or  militia  of  Edinburgh. 


100  HEROIC    BALLADS. 

Where  are  they  who  went  to  battle, 

Randolph  Murray,  sworn  to  you  ? 
Where  are  they,  our  brothers  —  children  ? 

Have  they  met  the  English  foe  ? 
Why  art  thou  alone,  unf ollowed  ? 

Is  it  weal *  or  is  it  woe  ?  " 
Like  a  corpse  the  grisly  warrior 

Looks  from  out  his  helm  2  of  steel ; 
But  no  word  he  speaks  in  answer  — 

Only  with  his  armed  3  heel 
Chides  his  weary  steed,  and  onward 

Up  the  city  streets  they  ride  — 
Fathers,  sisters,  mothers,  children, 

Shrieking,  praying  by  his  side. 
"  By  the  God  that  made  thee,  Randolph  ! 

Tell  us  what  mischance  hath  come." 
Then  lie  lifts  his  riven  4  banner, 

And  the  asker's  voice  is  dumb. 

IV. 

The  elders  of  the  city 

Have  met  within  their  hall  — 
The  men  whom  good  King  James5  had  charged 

To  watch  the  tower  and  wall. 
"  Your  hands  are  weak  with  age,"  he  said, 

"  Your  hearts  are  stout  and  true  ; 
So  bide  ye  in  the  Maiden  Town,6 

1  Weal :  welfare,  prosperity,  joy.  -  Helm  :  helmet. 

3  Armed:  pronounce  in  two  syllables,  arm'ed. 

4  Eiven  :  rent,  torn.  r°  King  James  :  James  IV.  of  Scotland. 

G  Maiden  Town :  in  the  seventh  century  Edinburgh  Castle  was  called 
"Castrum  Puellarum  "  or  the  Maidens'  Castle,  as  the  daughters  of  the 
ancient  kings  were  kept  and  educated  there  until  they  were  married.    This 


EDINBURGH  AFTER  FLODDEN.         101 

While  others  fight  for  you. 
My  trumpet  from  the  Border-side  1 

Shall  send  a  hlast  so  clear 
That  all  who  wait  within  the  gate 

That  stirring  sound  may  hear. 
Or,  if  it  be  the  will  of  Heaven 

That  back  I  never  come, 
And  if,  instead  of  Scottish  shouts, 

Ye  hear  the  English  drum,  — 
Then  let  the  warning  bells  ring  out, 

Then  gird  you  to  the  fray, 
Then  man  the  walls  like  burghers  stout, 

And  fight  while  fight  you  may. 
'Twere  better  that  in  fiery  flame 

The  roofs  should  thunder  down, 
Than  that  the  foot  of  foreign  foe 

Should  trample  in  the  town  !  " 


Then  in  came  Randolph  Murray,  — 

His  step  was  slow  and  weak, 
And,  as  he  doffed2  his  dinted  helm, 

The  tears  ran  down  his  cheek  : 
They  fell  upon  his  corslet3 

And  on  his  mailed  4  hand, 
As  he  gazed  around  him  wistfully, 

may  be  the  reason  of  the  name  "  Maiden  Town  "  or  it  may  be  an  allusion 
to  the  well-known  resemblance  of  Edinburgh  to  Athens,  the  sacred  city  of 
Athena  or  Minerva,  goddess  of  wisdom. 

1  Border-side  :  the  boundary  between  Scotland  and  England  near  which 
the  battle  of  Flodden  was  fought. 

2  Doffed:  took  off.  3  Corslet :  armor  for  the  trunk  of  the  body. 
4  Mailed:  pronounce  in  two  syllables,  mail'ed. 


102  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

Leaning  sorely  J  on  his  brand. 
And  none  who  then  beheld  him 

But  straight  were  smote  with  fear, 
For  a  bolder  and  a  sterner  man 

Had  never  couched  a  spear.2 
They  knew  so  sad  a  messenger 

Some  ghastly  news  must  bring ; 
And  all  of  them  were  fathers, 

And  their  sons  were  with  the  King. 

VI. 

And  up  then  rose  the  Provost 3  — 

A  brave  old  man  was  he, 
Of  ancient  name,  and  knightly  fame, 

And  chivalrous  degree.4 
He  ruled  our  city  like  a  Lord 

Who  brooked  5  no  equal  here, 
And  ever  for  the  townsman's  rights 

Stood  up  'gainst  prince  and  peer. 
And  he  had  seen  the  Scottish  host 

March  from  the  Borough-muir,6 
With  music-storm  and  clamorous  shout, 
And  all  the  din  that  thunders  out 

When  youth's  of  victory  sure. 
But  yet  a  dearer  thought  had  he,  — 

1  Sorely  :  grievously,  heavily. 

2  Couched  a  spear:  held  a  spear  in  attitude  of  attack;  the  butt-end  of 
the  spear  rested  in  a  socket  of  the  armor  so  as  to  hold  it  firm. 

8  Provost :  the  mayor  or  governor  of  the  city. 

4  Degree:  descent,  family.  g Brooked:  endured. 

'■  Borough-muir :  a  vacant  tract  of  land  or  common  just  outside  of 
Edinburgh  on  the  south.  Here  James  IV.  reviewed  his  army  before  march- 
ins  for  the  fatal  field  of  Flodden. 


EDINBURGH   AFTER  FLODDEN.  103 

For  with  a  father's  pride, 
He  saw  his  last  remaining  son 

Go  forth  by  Randolph's  side, 
With  casque  x  on  head  and  spur  on  heel, 

All  keen  to  do  and  dare  ; 
And  proudly  did  that  gallant  boy 

Dunedin's  banner  bear. 
Oh !  woful  now  was  the  old  man's  look, 

And  he  spake  right  heavily  — 
"  Now,  Randolph,  tell  thy  tidings, 

However  sharp  they  be  ! 
Woe  is  written  on  thy  visage, 

Death  is  looking  from  thy  face, 
Speak  !  though  it  be  of  overthrow  — 

It  cannot  be  disgrace  ! " 

VII. 

Right  bitter  was  the  agony 

That  wrung  that  soldier  proud  : 
Thrice  did  he  strive  to  answer, 

And  tluice  he  groaned  aloud. 
Then  he  gave  the  riven  banner 

To  the  old  man's  shaking  hand, 
Saying  —  "  That  is  all  I  bring  ye 

From  the  bravest  of  the  land. 
Ay  !  ye  may  look  upon  it  — 

It  was  guarded  well  and  long 
By  your  brothers  and  your  children, 

By  the  valiant  and  the  strong. 
One  by  one  they  fell  around  it, 

1  Casque:  helmet. 


104  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

As  the  archers  1  laid  them  low, 
Grimly  dying,  still  unconquered, 

With  their  faces  to  the  foe. 
Ay !  ye  may  well  look  upon  it  — 

There  is  more  than  honor  there, 
Else,  be  sure,  I  had  not  brought  it 

From  the  field  of  dark  despair. 
Never  yet  was  royal  banner 

Steeped  in  such  a  costly  dye  ; 
It  hath  lain  upon  a  bosom 

Where  no  other  shroud  shall  lie. 
Sirs  !  I  charge  you,  keep  it  holy ; 

Keep  it  as  a  sacred  thing, 
For  the  stain  ye  see  upon  it 

Was  the  life-blood  of  your  King  !  " 

VIII. 

Woe,  and  woe,  and  lamentation  ! 

What  a  piteous  cry  was  there  ! 
Widows,  maidens,  mothers,  children, 

Shrieking,  sobbing  in  despair! 
Throng] i  the  streets  the  death-word  rushes, 

Spreading  terror,  sweeping  on  — 
"  Jesu  Christ !  our  King  lias  fallen  — 

()  Great  God,  King  James  is  gone  ! 
Holy  Mother  Mary,2  shield  us, 

Thou  who  erst3  didst  lose  thy  Son  ! 

1  Archers  :  the  skill  of  the  English  archers  with  the  Ions-how  was  pro- 
verbial; few  troops,  even  those  in  armor,  could  stand  against  their  volleys 
of  well-aimed  arrows. 

-  Mother  Mary  :  the  Virgin.  Alary;  this  was  before  the  Reformation,  and 
Scotland  was  then  a  Catholic  nation. 

3  Erst :  once,  or  long  ago. 


EDINBURGH   AFTER  FLODDEN.  105 

O  the  blackest  day  for  Scotland 

That  she  ever  knew  before  ! 
O  our  King  —  the  good,  the  noble, 

Shall  we  see  him  never  more  ? 
Woe  to  us,  and  woe  to  Scotland ! 

O  our  sons,  our  sons  and  men  ! 
Surely  some  have  'scaped  the  Southron, 

Surely  some  will  come  again  ! 
Till  the  oak  that  fell  last  winter 

Shall  uprear  its  shattered  stem  — 
Wives  and  mothers  of  Dune  din  — 

Ye  may  look  in  vain  for  them ! 

rx. 

But  within  the  Council  Chamber 

All  was  silent  as  the  grave, 
Whilst  the  tempest  of  their  sorrow 

Shook  the  bosoms  of  the  brave. 
Well  indeed  might  they  be  shaken 

With  the  weight  of  such  a  blow : 
He  was  gone  —  their  prince,  their  idol, 

Whom  they  loved  and  worshipped  so  ! 
Like  a  knell  of  death  and  judgment 

Rung  from  heaven  by  angel  hand, 
Fell  the  words  of  desolation 

On  the  elders  of  the  land. 
Hoary  heads  were  bowed  and  trembling, 

Withered  hands  were  clasped  and  wrung  ; 
God  had  left  the  old  and  feeble, 

He  had  ta'en  away  the  young. 


106  IIEROIC   BALLADS. 


X. 


Then  the  Provost  he  uprose, 

And  his  lip  was  ashen  white  ; 
But  a  flush  was  on  his  brow, 

And  his  eye  was  full  of  light. 
"  Thou  hast  spoken,  Randolph  Murray, 

Like  a  soldier  stout  and  true  ; 
Thou  hast  done  a  deed  of  daring 

Had  been  perilled  but  by  few. 
For  thou  hast  not  shamed  to  face  us, 

Nor  to  speak  thy  ghastly  tale, 
Standing  —  thou  a  knight  and  captain  — 

Here,  alive  within  thy  mail ! l 
Now,  as  my  God  shall  judge  me, 

I  hold  it  braver  done, 
Than  hadst  thou  tarried  in  thy  place, 

And  died  above  my  son  ! 
Thou  need'st  not  tell  it :  he  is  dead. 

God  help  us  all  this  day  ! 
But  speak  —  how  fought  the  citizens 

AVithin  the  furious  fray? 
For  by  the  might  of  Maiy ! 

'Twere  something  still  to  tell 
That  no  Scottish  foot  went  backward 

When  the  Royal  Lion  2  fell ! " 

XI. 

"  No  one  failed  him  !     He  is  keeping 
Royal  state  and  semblance  still; 

1  Mail :  linked  or  chain  armor. 

2  Royal  Lion:  the  Lion  euiblazoued  on  the  Scottish  banner. 


EDINBURGH   AFTER   FLODDEN.  107 

Knight  and  noble  lie  around  him, 

Cold  on  Flodden's  fatal  hill. 
Of  the  brave  and  gallant-hearted, 

Whom  you  sent  with  prayers  away, 
Not  a  single  man  departed 

From  his  monarch  yesterday. 
Had  you  seen  them,  O  my  masters  ! 

When  the  night  began  to  fall, 
And  the  English  spearmen  gathered 

Round  a  grim  and  ghastly  wall 
As  the  wolves  in  winter  circle 

Round  the  leaguer  1  on  the  heath, 
So  the  greedy  foe  glared  upward, 

Panting  still  for  blood  and  death. 
But  a  rampart  rose  before  them, 

Which  the  boldest  dared  not  scale  ; 
Every  stone  a  Scottish  body, 

Every  step  a  corpse  in  mail ! 
And  behind  it  lay  our  monarch, 

Clenching  still  his  shivered  sword  ; 
By  his  side  Montrose  and  Athole, 

At  his  feet  a  Southron  lord. 
All  so  thick  they  lay  together, 

When  the  stars  lit  up  the  sky, 
That  I  knew  not  who  were  stricken, 

Or  who  yet  remained  to  die. 
Few  there  were  when  Surrey  halted, 

And  his  wearied  host  withdrew  ; 
None  but  dying  men  around  me, 

When  the  English  trumpet  blew, 
Then  I  stooped,  and  took  the  banner, 

1  Leaguer :  the  camp  of  a  besieging  army. 


108  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

As  you  see  it,  from  his  breast, 
And  I  closed  our  hero's  eyelids, 

And  I  left  him  to  his  rest. 
In  the  mountains  growled  the  thunder, 

As  I  leaped  the  woful  wall, 
And  the  heavy  clouds  Were  settling 

Over  Flodden,  like  a  pall." 

XII. 

So  he  ended.     And  the  others 

Cared  not  any  answer  then  ; 
Sitting  silent,  dumb  with  sorrow, 

Sitting  anguish-struck,  like  men 
Who  have  seen  the  roaring  torrent 

Sweep  their  happy  homes  away, 
And  yet  linger  by  the  margin, 

Staring  wildly  on  the  spray. 
But,  without,  the  maddening  tumult 

Waxes  ever  more  and  more, 
And  the  crowd  of  wailing  women 

Gather  round  the  Council  door. 
Every  dusky  spire  is  ringing 

With  a  dull  and  hollow  knell, 
And  the  Miserere's  1  singing 

To  the  tolling  of  the  bell. 
Through  the  streets  the  burghers  hurry, 

Spreading  terror  as  they  go  ; 
And  the  rampart's  thronged  with  watchers 

For  the  coming  of  the  foe. 

1  Miserere  (Mis-e-re're) :  the  57th  Psalm  —  a  Psalm  of  lamentation.  In 
the  Roman  Catholic  or  Latin  version  of  the  Bihle,  it  begins  "Miserere  mei, 
domine  "  —  "Pity  me,  O  Lord." 


EDINBURGH  AFTER   FLODDEN.  109 

From  each  mountain-top  a  pillar 1 

Streams  into  the  torpid  air, 
Bearing1  token  from  the  Border 

That  the  English  host  is  there. 
All  without  is  flight  and  terror, 

All  within  is  woe  and  fear  — 
God  protect  thee,  Maiden  City, 

For  thy  latest  hour  is  near ! 

XIII. 

No !  not  yet,  thou  high  Dunedin  ! 

Shalt  thou  totter  to  thy  fall ; 
Though  thy  bravest  and  thy  strongest 

Are  not  here  to  man  the  wall. 
No,  not  yet !  the  ancient  spirit 

Of  our  fathers  hath  not  gone ; 
Take  it  to  thee  as  a  buckler2 

Better  far  than  steel  or  stone. 
Oh,  remember  those  who  perished 

For  thy  birthright  at  the  time 
When  to  be  a  Scot  was  treason, 

And  to  side  with  Wallace  3  crime  ! 
Have  they  not  a  voice  among  us, 

Whilst  their  hallowed  dust  is  here  ? 
Hear  ye  not  a  summons  sounding 

From  each  buried  warrior's  bier? 
Up !  —  they  say  —  and  keep  the  freedom 

Which  we  won  you  long  ago : 

i  Pillar :  a  bonfire ;  a  pillar  of  fire.  2  Buckler:  a  shield. 

3  Wallace :  a  Scotch  hero  of  the  thirteenth  century.  He  rose  against 
the  English  when  they  invaded  Scotland.  Eventually  he  was  betrayed  to 
them,  taken  to  London  and  executed  as  a  traitor  and  rebel  in  1305.  See 
Burns's  "  Scots  wha  hae  wi'  Wallace  bled,"  p.  71. 


110  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

Up !  and  keep  our  graves  unsullied 
From  the  insults  of  the  foe ! 

Up !  and  if  ye  cannot  save  them, 
Come  to  us  in  blood  and  fire : 

Midst  the  crash  of  falling  turrets 1 
Let  the  last  of  Scots  expire  ! 

XIV. 

Still  the  bells  are  tolling  fiercely, 

And  the  cry  comes  louder  in  ; 
Mothers  wailing  for  their  children, 

Sisters  for  their  slaughtered  kin. 
All  is  terror  and  disorder, 

Till  the  Provost  rises  up, 
Calm,  as  though  he  had  not  tasted 

Of  the  fell 2  and  bitter  cup. 
All  so  stately  from  his  sorrow, 

Rose  the  old  undaunted  chief, 
That  you  had  not  deemed,  to  see  him, 

His  was  more  than  common  grief. 
"  Rouse  ye,  Sirs !  "  he  said  ;  "  we  may  not 

Longer  mourn  for  what  is  done ; 
If  our  King  be  taken  from  us, 

We  are  left  to  guard  his  son.3 
We  have  sworn  to  keep  the  city 

From  the  foe,  whate'er  they  be, 
And  the  oath  that  we  have  taken 

Never  shall  be  broke  by  me. 
Death  is  nearer  to  us,  brethren, 

1  Turrets  :  towers  or  pinnacles. 

2  Fell:  .sharp,  cruel,  deadly. 

3  His  son :  James  V.  of  Scotlaud. 


EDINBURGH   AFTER   FLODDEN.  Ill 

Than  it  seemed  to  those  who  died, 
Fighting  yesterday  at  Flodden, 

By  their  lord  and  master's  side. 
Let  us  meet  it  then  in  patience, 

Not  in  terror  or  in  fear  ; 
Though  our  hearts  are  bleeding  yonder, 

Let  our  souls  be  steadfast  here. 
Up,  and  rouse  ye  !     Time  is  fleeting, 

And  we  yet  have  much  to  do ; 
Up !  and  haste  ye  through  the  city, 

Stir  the  burghers  stout  and  true, 
Gather  all  our  scattered  people, 

Fling  the  banner  out  once  more,  — 
Randolph  Murray !  do  thou  bear  it, 

As  it  erst  was  borne  before.: 
Never  Scottish  heart  will  leave  it, 

When  they  see  their  monarch's  gore. 

xv. 

"  Let  them  cease  that  dismal  knelling ; 

It  is  time  enough  to  ring, 
When  the  fortress-strength x  of  Scotland 

Stoops  to  ruin  like  its  King. 
Let  the  bells  be  kept  for  warning, 

Not  for  terrors  or  alarm ; 
When  the  next  is  heard  to  thunder, 

Let  each  man  and  stripling  arm. 
Bid  the  women  leave  their  wailing  — 

Do  they  think  that  woful  strain, 
From  the  bloody  heaps  of  Flodden, 

1  Fortress -strength :    referring   to   the    castle   and    fortifications   of 
Edinburgh. 


112  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

Can  redeem  their  dearest  slain  ? 
Bid  them  cease,  —  or  rather  hasten 

To  the  churches  every  one ; 
There  to  pray  to  Mary  Mother, 

And  to  her  anointed  Son, 
That  the  thunderbolt  above  us 

May  not  fall  in  ruin  yet ; 
That  in  fire  and  blood  and  rapine 

Scotland's  glory  may  not  set. 
Let  them  pray,  —  for  never  women 

Stood  in  need  of  such  a  prayer !  — 
England's  yeomen  shall  not  find  them 

Clinging  to  the  altars  there. 
No  !  if  we  are  doomed  to  perish, 

Man  and  maiden,  let  us  fall, 
And  a  common  gulf  of  ruin 

Open  wide  to  whelm 1  us  all ! 
Never  shall  the  ruthless  spoiler 

Lay  his  hot  insulting  hand 
On  the  sisters  of  our  heroes, 

Whilst  we  bear  a  torch  or  brand  ! 
Up  !  and  rouse  ye,  then,  my  brothers,  - 

But  when  next  ye  hear  the  bell 
Sounding  forth  the  sullen  summons 

That  may  be  our  funeral  knell, 
Once  more  let  us  meet  together, 

Once  more  see  each  other's  face ; 
Then,  like  men  that  need  not  tremble, 

(Jo  to  our  appointed  place. 
God,  our  Father,  will  not  fail  us, 

In  that  last  tremendous  hour, — 
1  Whelm :  overwhelm. 


EDINBURGH   AFTER   FLODDEN.  113 

If  all  other  bulwarks  crumble, 

He  will  be  our  strength  and  tower : 

Though  the  ramparts  rock  beneath  us, 
And  the  walls  go  crashing  down, 

Though  the  roar  of  conflagration 
Bellow  o'er  the  sinking  town ; 

There  is  yet  one  place  of  shelter,1 
Where  the  foemen  cannot  come, 

Where  the  summons  never  sounded 
Of  the  trumpet  or  the  drum. 

There  again  we'll  meet  our  children, 
Who,  on  Flodden's  trampled  sod, 

For  their  King  and  for  their  country- 
Rendered  up  their  souls  to  God. 

There  shall  we  find  rest  and  refuge, 
With  our  dear  departed  brave 

And  the  ashes  of  the  city 
Be  our  universal  grave  !  " 

Professor  Attoun. 

1  One  place  of  shelter :  the  grave. 


114  HEROIC   BALLADS. 


THE   HEART   OF  THE   BRUCE.1 


It  was  upon  an  April  morn, 
While  yet  the  frost  lay  hoar,2 

We  heard  Lord  James's  3  bugle  horn 
Sound  by  the  rocky  shore. 


II. 


Then  down  we  went,  a  hundred  knights, 

All  in  our  dark  array, 
And  flung  our  armor  in  the  ships 

That  rode  within  the  bay. 

III. 

We  spoke  not,  as  the  shore  grew  less, 

But  gazed  in  silence  back, 
Where  the  long  billows  swept  away 

The  foam  behind  our  track. 

1  Bruce :  Robert  Bruce,  "Scotland's  greatest  king  and  hero"  joined 
William  Wallace  in  resistance  to  the  efforts  of  England  to  get  and  keep 
control  of  the  country.  He  won  the  great  victory  of  Bannockburu  over 
Edward  II.  in  lol4.  Fourteen  years  later  Edward  was  obliged  to  recognize 
the  independence  of  Scotland.  Bruce  died  the  year  following  (1329),  and 
according  to  the  legend,  Sir  James  Douglas  was  chosen  to  carry  his  heart 
ia  a  case  of  gold  to  the  Holy  Land  and  bury  it  near  the  sepulchre  of  Christ. 
The  ballad  narrates  what  followed  the  attempt  to  carry  out  the  hero's 
wishes. 

2  Hoar:  white.  8  Lord  James:  Sir  James  Douglas. 


THE  HEART  OF  THE  BRUCE.         115 


IV. 


And  aye  the  purple  hues  decayed 

Upon  the  fading  hill, 
And  but  one  heart  in  all  that  ship 

Was  tranquil,  cold,  and  still. 


v. 


The  good  Lord  Douglas  paced  the  deck 

Oh,  but  his  face  was  wan  ! 
Unlike  the  flush  it  used  to  wear 

When  in  the  battle-van.1 


VI. 


"  Come  hither,  I  pray,  my  trusty  knight, 

Sir  Simon  of  the  Lee ; 
There  is  a  freit2  lies  near  my  soul 

I  needs  must  tell  to  thee. 


vn. 


"  Thou  know'st  the  words  King  Robert  spoke 

Upon  his  dying  day : 
How  he  bade  me  take  Ins  noble  heart 
v     And  carry  it  far  away ; 

VIII. 

"  And  lay  it  in  the  holy  soil 

Where  once  the  Saviour  trod, 
Since  he  might  not  bear  the  blessed  Cross, 

Nor'  strike  one  blow  for  God. 

i  Battle- van :  front  of  the  battle. 

2  Freit:  presentiment  or  superstition;  notion  or  belief. 


116  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

IX. 

"  Last  night  as  in  my  bed  I  lay, 
I  dreamed  a  dreary  dream  :  — 

Methought  I  saw  a  Pilgrim  stand 
In  the  moonlight's  quivering  beam. 

x. 

"  His  robe  was  of  the  azure  dye  — 
Snow-white  his  scattered  hairs  — 

And  even  such  a  cross  he  bore 
As  good  Saint  Andrew  bears. 

XI. 

"'  Why  go  ye  forth,  Lord  James,'  he  said, 
'  AVith  spear  and  belted  brand  ? 

Why  do  you  take  its  dearest  pledge 
From  this  our  Scottish  land  ? 

XII. 

" '  The  sultry  breeze  of  Galilee 

Creeps  through  its  groves  of  palm, 

The  olives  on  the  Holy  Mount 
Stand  glittering  in  the  calm. 

XIII. 

" '  But  'tis  not  there  that  Scotland's  heart 

Shall  rest,  by  God's  decree, 
Till  the  great  angel  calls  the  dead 

To  rise  from  earth  and  sea ! 

XIV. 

"  '  Lord  James  of  Douglas,  mark  my  rede  ! 1 
That  heart  shall  pass  once  more 
1  Kede :  word. 


THE  HEART  OF  THE  BRUCE.         117 

In  fiery  fight  against  the  foe, 
As  it  was  wont  of  yore. 

xv. 

" '  And  it  shall  pass  beneath  the  cross, 

And  save  King  Robert's  vow  ; 
But  other  hands  shall  bear  it  back, 

Not,  James  of  Douglas,  thou  !  ' 

XVI. 

"  Now,  by  thy  knightly  faith,  I  pray, 

Sir  Simon  of  the  Lee  — 
Nor  truer  friend  had  never  man 

Than  thou  hast  been  to  me  — 

XVII. 

"  If  ne'er  upon  the  Holy  Land 

"Lis  mine  in  life  to  tread, 
Bear  thou  to  Scotland's  kindly  earth 

The  relics  of  her  dead." 

XVIII. 

The  tear  was  in  Sir  Simon's  eye 
As  he  wrung  the  warrior's  hand  — 

"  Betide 1  me  weal,  betide  me  woe, 
I'll  hold  by  thy  command. 

XIX. 

"  But  if  in  battle-front,  Lord  James, 

'Tis  ours  once  more  to  ride, 
Nor  force  of  man,  nor  craft  of  fiend, 

Shall  cleave  me  from  thy  side  !  " 
1  Betide :  happen,  befall. 


118  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

XX. 

And  aye  we  sailed,  and  aye  we  sailed, 

Across  the  weary  sea, 
Until  one  morn  the  coast  of  Spain 

Rose  grimly  on  our  lee.1 

XXI. 

And  as  we  rounded  to  the  port, 
Beneath  the  watch-tower's  wall, 

We  heard  the  clash  of  the  atabals,2 
And  the  trumpet's  wavering  call. 

XXII. 

"  Why  sounds  yon  Eastern  music  here 

So  wantonly  3  and  long, 
And  whose  the  crowd  of  armed  4  men 

That  round  yon  standard  throng  ?  " 

XX  III. 

"  The  Moors  have  come  from  Africa 

To  spoil,  and  waste,  and  slay, 
And  King  Alonzo  of  Castile 

Must  fight  with  them  to-day." 

XXIV. 

"  Now  shame  it  were,"  cried  good  Lord  James, 

"  Shall  never  be  said  of  me 
That  I  and  mine  have  turned  aside 

From  the  Cross  in  jeopardie  ! 5 

1  Lee:  the  quarter  toward  which  the  wind  blows. 

-Atabals:  Moorish  drums.  'Wantonly:  unrestrainedly,  gayly. 

'  Armed  (arru'ed).  ■  Jeopardie:  jeopardy,  peril. 


THE  HEART  OF  THE  BRUCE.         119 

XXV. 

"  Have  down,  have  down,  my  merry  men  all  — 

Have  down  unto  the  plain ; 
We'll  let  the  Scottish  lion  loose 1 

Within  the  fields  of  Spain  !  " 

XXVI. 

"  Now  welcome  to  me,  noble  Lord, 

Thou  and  thy  stalwart  power ; 
Dear  is  the  sight  of  a  Christian  knight, 

Who  comes  in  such  an  hour  ! 

XXVII. 

"Is  it  for  bond2  or  faith  you  come, 

Or  yet  for  golden  fee  ? 
Or  bring  ye  France's  lilies  3  here, 

Or  the  flower  4  of  Burgundie  ?  " 

xxvni. 

"  God  greet  thee  well,  thou  valiant  king, 

Thee  and  thy  belted  peers  — 
Sir  James  of  Douglas  am  I  called, 

And  these  are  Scottish  spears. 

XXIX. 

"  We  do  not  fight  for  bond  or  plight,5 

Nor  yet  for  golden  fee  ; 
But  for  the  sake  of  our  blessed  Lord, 

Who  died  upon  the  tree.6 

1  Scottish  lion  loose :  unfold  the  flag  bearing  the  Scottish  lion  or  arms 
of  Scotland. 

2  Bond:  meaning  either  in  fulfilment  of  a  vow  or  to  liberate  captives. 

3  Lilies :  the  lilies  of  the  arms  of  France. 

4  Flower :  arms  of  Burgundy. 

5  Plight :  in  fulfilment  of  a  pledge  or  oath.       6  The  tree :  the  cross. 


120  HEROIC   BALLADS. 


XXX. 


"  We  bring  our  great  King  Robert's  heart 

Across  the  weltering1  wave 
To  lay  it  in  the  holy  soil 

Hard  by  2  the  Saviour's  grave. 


XXXI. 


"  True  pilgrims  we,  by  land  or  sea, 
Where  danger  bars  the  way ; 

And  therefore  are  we  here,  Lord  King, 
To  ride  with  thee  this  day !  " 


XXXII. 


The  King  has  bent  his  stately  head, 
And  the  tears  were  in  his  eyne  3  — ■ 

"  God's  blessing  on  thee,  noble  knight, 
For  this  brave  thought  of  thine  ! 


XXXIII. 


"  I  know  thy  name  full  well,  Lord  James, 

And  honored  may  I  be, 
That  those  who  fought  beside  the  Bruce 

Should  light  this  day  for  me ! 

XXXIV. 

"  Take  thou  the  leading  of  the  van, 
And  charge  the  Moors  amain  ; 4 

There  is  not  such  a  lance  as  thine 
In  all  the  host  of  Spain  !  " 

1  Weltering:  rising  and  falling.  3Eyne:  eyes. 

2  Hard  by:  uear  by.  ;  Amain:  furiously. 


THE   HEART   OF  THE  BRUCE.  121 

XXXV. 

The  Douglas  turned  towards  us  then, 

Oh,  but  his  glance  was  high ! 
"  There  is  not  one  of  all  my  men 

But  is  as  frank 1  as  I. 

xxxvi. 

"  There  is  not  one  of  all  my  knights 

But  bears  as  true  a  spear  — 
Then  —  onwards,  Scottish  gentlemen, 

And  think,  King  Robert's  here ! " 

XXXVII. 

The  trumpets  blew,  the  cross-bolts  2  flew, 

The  arrows  flashed  like  flame, 
As,  spur  in  side,  and  spear  in  rest,3 

Against  the  foe  we  came. 

XXXVIII. 

And  many  a  bearded  Saracen  4 
Went  down  both  horse  and  man  ; 

For  through  their  ranks  we  rode  like  corn, 
So  furiously  we  ran  ! 

XXXIX. 

But  in  behind  our  path  they  closed, 

Though  fain  5  to  let  us  through ; 
For  they  were  forty  thousand  men, 

And  we  were  wondrous  few. 

1  Frank:  sincere,  true. 

2  Cross-bolts :  arrows  shot  from  cross-bows. 

8  Spear  in  rest :  spear  in  attitude  of  attack.    See  note  on  couched,  p.  102. 

4  Saracen :  Mohammedan,  Turk. 

5  Fain :  glad,  eager.    The  enemy  let  them  through  their  ranks  that  they 
might  close  round  them,  and  so  utterly  destroy  them. 


122  HEROIC   BALLADS. 


XL. 


We  might  not  see  a  lance's  length, 

So  dense  was  their  array,1 
But  the  long,  fell  sweep  of  the  Scottish  blade 

Still  held  them  hard  at  bay. 


XLL 


"  Make  in !  make  in !  "  Lord  Douglas  cried 

"  Make  in,  my  brethren  dear ! 
Sir  William  of  St.  Clair  is  down  ; 

We  may  not  leave  him  here !  " 


XLII. 


But  thicker,  thicker  grew  the  swarm  : 
And  sharper  shot  the  rain ; 2 

And  the  horses  reared  amid  the  press,3 
But  they  would  not  charge  again. 


XLIII. 


"  Now  Jesu  help  thee,"  said  Lord  James, 
"  Thou  kind  and  true  St.  Clair ! 

An'  if  I  may  not  bring  thee  off, 
I'll  die  beside  thee  there  !  " 

XLIV. 

Then  in  the  stirrups  up  he  stood, 

So  lion-like  and  bold, 
And  held  the  precious  heart  aloft 

All  in  its  case  of  gold. 

1  Array :  line  of  battle. 

2  The  rain  :  the  showers  of  arrows. 

3  Press  ;  the  multitude  of  troops. 


THE  HEART  OF  THE  BRUCE.         123 

XLV. 

lie  flung  it  from  him  far  ahead, 

And  never  spake  he  more, 
But  —  "  Pass  thee  first,  thou  dauntless  heart, 

As  thou  vvert  wont  of  yore  !  " 

XLVI. 

The  roar  of  fight  rose  fiercer  yet, 

And  heavier  still  the  stour,1 
Till  the  spears  of  Spain  came  shivering  in, 

And  swept  away  the  Moor. 

XLVII. 

"  Now  praised  be  God  the  day  is  won ! 

They  fly  o'er  flood  and  fell 2  — 
Why  dost  thou  draw  the  rein  so  hard, 

Good  knight,  that  fought  so  well  ?  " 

XLVIII. 

"  Oh,  ride  ye  on,  Lord  King !  "  he  said, 

"  And  leave  the  dead  to  me  ; 
For  I  must  keep  the  dreariest  watch 

That  ever  I  shall  dree  ! 3 

XLIX. 

"  There  lies  above  his  master's  heart, 

The  Douglas,4  stark  5  and  grim ; 
And  woe  that  I  am  living  man, 

Not  lying  there  by  him ! 

1  Stour :  battle ;  or  the  word  may  refer  to  the  dust  raised  by  the  fight. 

2  Fell:  stony,  barren  hills.  4  The  Douglas:  Sir  James  Douglas. 

3  Dree:  suffer  or  endure.  5  Stark  :  stiff,  rigid  in  death. 


124  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

L. 

"  The  world  grows  cold,  my  arm  is  old, 

And  thin  my  lyart 1  hair, 
And  all  that  I  loved  best  on  earth 

Is  stretched  before  me  there. 

LI. 

"  O  Bothwell  banks,2  that  bloom  so  bright 

Beneath  the  sun  of  May  ! 
The  heaviest  cloud  that  ever  blew 

Is  bound  for  you  this  day. 

LII. 

"  And,  Scotland,  thou  may'st  veil  thy  head 

In  sorrow  and  in  pain : 
The  sorest  stroke  upon  thy  brow 

Hath  fallen  this  day  in  Spain  ! 

LIIT. 

"We'll  bear  them  back  unto  our  ship. 

We'll  bear  them  o'er  the  sea, 
And  lay  them  in  the  hallowed  earth, 

Within  our  own  countrie. 

LIV. 

"  And  be  thou  strong  of  heart,  Lord  King, 

For  this  I  tell  thee  sure, 
The  sod  that  drank  the  Douglas'  blood 

Shall  never  bear  the  Moor!  " 

1  Lyart:  gray. 

2  Bothwell  banks :  Bothwell  Castle,  the  seat  of  the  Douglas  family  ou 
the  bauks  of  the  Clyde  uear  Glasgow. 


THE  HEART  OF  THE  BRUCE.         125 

LV. 

The  King  he  lighted  from  his  horse, 

lie  flung  his  brand  away, 
And  took  the  Douglas  by  the  hand, 

So  stately  as  he  lay. 

LVI. 

u  God  give  thee  rest,  thou  valiant  soul ! 

That  fought  so  well  for  Spain ; 
I'd  rather  half  my  land  were  gone, 

So  thou  wert  here  again ! " 

LVII. 

We  lifted  thence  the  good  Lord  James, 

And  the  priceless  heart  he  bore ; 
And  heavijy  we  steered  our  ship 

Towards  the  Scottish  shore. 

Lvm. 

No  welcome  greeted  our  return, 

Nor  clang  of  martial  tread, 
But  all  were  dumb  and  hushed  as  death, 

Before  the  mighty  dead. 

Lix. 

We  laid  our  chief  in  Douglas  Kirk,1 

The  heart  in  fair  Melrose  ; 2 
And  woful  men  were  we  that  day  — 

God  grant  their  souls  repose  ! 

Professor  Aytoun. 

1  Kirk :  church ;  the  church  of  Douglas  Castle. 

2  Melrose:  Melrose  Abbey,  the  finest  specimen  of  Gothic  architecture  in 
Scotland,  is  situated  on  tbe  Tweed  about  forty  miles  southeast  of  Edin- 
burgh.   Here  the  heart  of  the  Bruce  is  said  to  have  been  buried. 


126  HEROIC   BALLADS. 


THE  CHARGE  OF  THE  LIGHT  BRIGADE.1 


Half  a  league,  half  a  league, 
Half  a  league  onward, 
All  in  the  valley  of  death 

Rode  the  six  hundred. 
Forward,  the  Light  Brigade  ! 
Charge  for  the  guns,  he  said. 
Into  the  valley  of  death 

Rode  the  six  hundred. 

Forward,  the  Light  Brigade  ! 
Was  there  a  man  dismay'd  ? 
Not  though  the  soldiers  knew 

Some  one  had  blundered. 
Theirs  not  to  make  reply, 
Theirs  not  to  reason  why, 
Theirs  but  to  do  and  die. 
Into  the  valley  of  death 

Rode  the  six  hundred. 

1  During  the  Crimean  War  between  England,  France,  and  Russia,  Lord 
Lucan,  who  commanded  the  English  Light  Brigade  of  Cavalry,  chose  to 
interpret  an  order  of  attack  to  mean  that  he  should  attempt  to  take  a 
Russian  battery  at  the  extreme  end  of  a  long,  narrow  valley.  To  accom- 
plish it  the  Brigade  had  to  run  the  gauntlet  of  two  lines  of  infantry  and 
artillery,  besides  meeting  the  full  fire  of  the  battery  directly  in  the  face. 
The  movement  was  a  terrible  blonder.  Out  of  six  hundred  and  seventy- 
three  that  went  into  action,  only  one  hundred  and  ninety-five  came  out 
unscathed.    The  rest  were  killed  or  wounded. 


THE   CHARGE   OF   THE   LIGHT   BRIGADE.  127 

Cannon  to  right  of  them, 
Cannon  to  left  of  them, 
Cannon  in  front  of  them 

Volley'd  and  thunder  d ; 
Storm' d  at  with  shot  and  shell, 
Boldly  they  rode  and  well. 
Into  the  jaws  of  Death, 
Into  the  month  of  Hell 

Rode  the  six  hundred. 

Flash'd  all  their  sabres  bare, 
Flash'd  as  they  turn'd  in  air, 
Sabering  the  gunners  there, 
Charging  an  army,  while 

All  the  world  wonder'd : 
Plunged  in  the  batterv-smoke, 
Right  through  the  line  they  broke ; 
Cossack  1  and  Russian 
Reel'd  from  the  sabre-stroke 

Shatter'd  and  sunder'd. 
Then  they  rode  back,  but  not, 

Not  the  six  hundred. 

Cannon  to  right  of  them, 
Cannon  to  left  of  them 
Cannon  behind  them 

Volley'd  and  thunder'd ; 
Storm'd  at  with  shot  and  shell, 
While  horse  and  hero  fell, 
They  that  had  fought  so  well 

1  Cossack :  one  of  a  race  of  people  inhabiting  Southern  Russia.  On 
account  of  their  great  skill  in  horsemanship,  they  have  long  been  largely 
employed  in  the  Russian  army  as  cavalry. 


128  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

Came  through  the  jaws  of  Death 
Back  from  the  mouth  of  Hell, 
All  that  was  left  of  them, 
Left  of  six  hundred. 

When  can  their  glory  fade  ? 
O,  the  wild  charge  they  made ! 

All  the  world  wondered. 
Honor  the  charge  they  made  I 
Honor  the  Light  Brigade, 

Noble  six  hundred ! 

Alfred  Tennyson. 


A   LEGEND   OF   BREGENZ.  129 


A   LEGEND    OF   BREGENZ. 


Girt  round  with  rugged  mountains  the  fair  Lake  Con- 
stance 1  lies ; 

In  her  blue  heart  reflected,  shine  back  the  starry  skies  ; 

And,  watching  each  white  cloudlet  float  silently  and 
slow, 

You  think  a  piece  of  heaven  lies  on  our  earth  below ! 

Midnight  is  there ;    and   silence,  enthroned  in  heaven, 

looks  down 
Upon  her  own  calm  mirror,  upon  a  sleeping  town : 
For  Bregenz  2,  that  quaint  city  upon  the  Tyrol  3  shore, 
Has  stood  above  Lake  Constance  a  thousand  years  and 

more. 

Her  battlements  and  towers,  upon  their  rocky  steep, 
Have  cast   their  trembling   shadows   for   ages    on   the 

deep ; 
Mountain  and  lake  and  valley,  a  sacred  legend  know, 
Of  how  the  town  was  saved  one  night,  three  hundred 

years  ago. 

Far  from  her  home  and  kindred  a  Tyrol  maid  had  fled, 
To  serve  in  the  Swiss  valleys,  and  toil  for  daily  bread  ; 

1  Lake  Constance:  a  lake  on  the  borders  of  Switzerland,  Austria  [the 
Tyrol],  and  Germany.  2  Bregenz  (g  hard). 

3  Tyrol  (Tir'rol  or  Te-rol') :  a  province  of  Austria. 


130  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

And  every  year  that  fleeted  so  silently  and  fast 
Seem'd  to  bear  further  from  her  the  memory  of  the  past. 

She  served  kind,  gentle  masters,  nor  ask'd  for  rest  or 

change ; 
Her   friends   seem'd   no   more    new  ones,  their  speech 

seem'd  no  more  strange  ; 
And,  when  she  led  her  cattle  to  pasture  every  day, 
She  ceased  to  look  and  wonder  on  which  side  Bregenz 

lay. 

She  spoke  no  more  of  Bregenz,  with  longing  and  with 

tears ; 
Her  Tyrol  home  seem'd  faded  in  a  deep  mist  of  years  ; 
She  heeded  not  the  rumors  of  Austrian  war  or  strife  ; 
Each  day  she  rose,  contented,  to  the  calm  toils  of  life. 

Yet,  when  her  master's  children  would  clustering  round 

her  stand, 
She  sang  them  the  old  ballads  of  her  own  native  land ; 
And,  when  at  morn  and  evening  she  knelt  before  God's 

throne, 
The  accents  of  her  childhood  rose  to  her  lips  alone. 

And  so  she  dwelt:    the  valley  more  peaceful  year  by 

year ; 
When  suddenly  strange  portents 1  of   some  great  deed 

seem'd  near. 
The  golden  corn  was  bending  upon  its  fragile  stalk, 
While    farmers,  heedless  of  their  fields,  paced  up  and 

down  in  talk. 

1  Portents:   signs  of  coming  events,  especially  of  evil  or  calamity. 


A   LEGEND   OF   BREGENZ.  131 

The  men  seem'cl  stern  and  alter'd,  with  looks  cast  on 

the  ground; 
With  anxious  faces,  one  by  one,  the  women  gather'd 

round ; 
All  talk  of  flax,  or  spinning,  or  work,  was  put  away ; 
The  very  children  seem'd  afraid  to  go  alone  to  play. 

One  day,  out  in  the  meadow  with  strangers  from  the 

town, 
Some   secret  plan  discussing,  the  men  walk'd  up  and 

down. 
Yet  now  and  then  seem'd  watching  a  strange,  uncertain 

gleam, 
That  look'd  like  lances  'mid  the  trees  that  stood  below 

the  stream. 

At   eve   they  all   assembled,  all   care   and  doubt  were 

fled; 
With   jovial   laugh  they  feasted,  the  board  was  nobly 

spread. 
The  elder  of  the  village  rose  up,  his  glass  in  hand, 
And   cried,    "  We  drink   the   downfall  of  an  accursed 

land ! 

"  The  night  is  growing  darker ;   ere  one   more  day  is 

flown 
Bregenz,  our  foeman's  stronghold,  Bregenz  shall  be  our 

own  I 
The  women  shrank  in  terror,  (yet  pride,  too,  had  her 

part,) 
But  one  poor  Tyrol  maiden  felt  death  within  her  heart. 


132  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

Before  her  stood    fair  Bregenz,  once  more  her  towers 

arose ; 
What  were  the  friends  beside  her?     Only  her  country's 

foes  ! 
The  faces  of  her  kinsfolk,  the  days  of  childhood  flown, 
The  echoes  of  her  mountains,  reclaim'd  her  as  their  own  ! 

Nothing  she    heard   around  her,  (though   shouts   rang 

forth  again,) 
Gone  were  the  green  Swiss  valleys,  the  pasture,  and  the 

plain ; 
Before  her  eyes  one  vision,  and  in  her  heart  one  cry, 
That  said,  "  Go  forth,  save  Bregenz,  and  then,  if  need 

be,  die !  " 

With  trembling   haste  and   breathless,    with   noiseless 

step  she  sped ; 
Horses  and  weary  cattle  were  standing  in  the  shed ; 
She    loosed   the   strong  white  charger,1  that  fed  from 

out  her  hand, 
She  mounted  and  she  turn'd  his  head  toward  her  native 

land. 

Out  —  out  into    the  darkness  —  faster,  and  still  more 

fast; 
The  smooth  grass  flies  behind  her,  the  chestnut  wood  is 

pass'd ; 
She  looks  up  ;  clouds  are  heavy:     Why  is  her  steed  so 

slow?  — 
Scarcely  the  wind  beside  them  can  pass  them  as  they 

go. 

1  Charger:  a  war-horse  or  one  suitable  for  use  in  battle. 


A   LEGEND   OF   BREGENZ.  133 

"  Faster  ! "  she  cries,  "  O,  faster !  "  Eleven  the  church- 
bells  chime : 

"  O  God,"  she  cries,  "  help  Bregenz,  and  bring  me  there 
in  time ! " 

But  louder  than  bells'  ringing,  or  lowing  of  the  kine, 

Grows  nearer  in  the  midnight  the  rushing  of  the 
Rhine. 


Shall   not   the   roaring   waters    their   headlong   gallop 

check  ? 
The  steed  draws  back  in  terror,    she   leans   above  his 

neck 
To  watch  the  flowing  darkness,  the  bank  is  high  and 

steep ; 
One  pause, — he  staggers  forward,  and  plunges  in  the 

deep. 

She  strives  to  pierce  the  blackness,  and  looser  throws 

the  rein ; 
Her  steed  must  breast  the  waters  that  dash  above  his 

mane  ; 
How  gallantly,  how  nobly,  he   struggles  through   the 

foam, 
And  see,  in   the  far  distance  shine   out   the  lights  of 

home ! 


Up  the  steep  bank  he  bears  her,  and   now  they  rush 

again 
Towards  the  heights  of  Bregenz,  that  tower  above  the 

plain. 


134  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

They  reach  the  gate J  of  Bregenz  just  as  the  midnight 

rings, 
And  out  come  serf2  and  soldier  to  meet  the  news  she 

brings. 

Bregenz  is  saved !    Ere  daylight   her   battlements   are 

mann'd  ; 
Defiance  greets  the  army  that  marches  on  the  land : 
And,  if  to  deeds  heroic  should  endless  fame  be  paid, 
Bregenz  does  well  to  honor  the  noble  Tyrol  maid. 

Three   hundred  years  are  vanish'd,  and  yet  upon  the 

hill 
An  old  stone  gateway  rises,  to  do  her  honor  still. 
And   there,  when  Bregenz  women  sit  spinning  in  the 

shade, 
They  see  in  quaint  old  carving  the  charger  and  the  maid. 

And   when,  to  guard  old  Bregenz,  by  gateway,  street, 

and  tower, 
The  warder  paces  all  night  long,  and  calls  each  passing 

hour : 
"  Nine,"  "  ten,"  "  eleven,"  he  cries  aloud,  and  then  (( ) 

crown  of  fame  !) 
When  midnight  pauses  in  the  skies  he  calls  the  maiden's 

name. 

Adelaide  A.  Procter. 

1  Gate :  Bregenz  was  formerly  a  walled  town. 

2  Serf:  a  feudal  dependent  but  one  degree  above  a  slave;   a  laborer 
bound  to  the  soil  and  unable  to  leave  it  without  his  lord's  consent. 


MARCO   BOZZARIS.  135 


MARCO   BOZZARIS. 


At  midnight,  in  his  guarded  tent, 

The  Turk  was  dreaming  of  the  hour 
When  Greece,  her  knee  in  suppliance  bent, 

Should  tremble  at  his  power ; 
In  dreams,  through  camp  and  court  he  bore 
The  trophies  of  a  conqueror ; 

In  dreams,  his  song  of  triumph  heard ; 
Then  wore  his  monarch's  signet-ring  ;  2 
Then  press'd  that  monarch's  throne  —  a  king : 
As  wild  his  thoughts,  and  gay  of  wing, 

As  Eden's  garden  bird. 

At  midnight,  in  the  forest  shades, 

Bozzaris  ranged  his  Suliote  3  band, 
True  as  the  steel  of  their  tried  blades, 

Heroes  in  heart  and  hand. 

i  Bozzaris  (Boz-zar'is) :  a  Greek  patriot  who  took  a  leading  part  in  the 
war  of  independence  begun  in  1821,  by  which  Greece  threw  off  the  yoke  of 
the  Turkish  power.  In  1823  Bozzaris  attacked  a  Turkish  force  much  larger 
than  his  own.  The  battle  was  begun  in  the  night  and  was  a  complete  sur- 
prise to  the  Turks.  Bozzaris  was  mortally  wounded,  but  the  Greeks  won 
a  great  and  decisive  victory.  Six  years  later,  the  Turks,  who  had  held 
Greece  in  subjection  for  nearly  four  centuries,  were  obliged  to  make  peace. 

2  Signet-ring :  a  ring  containing  a  signet  or  private  seal,  especially  the 
seal  used  by  a  monarch  in  stamping  documents. 

3  Su'liote:  a  name  derived  from  the  Suli  Mountains  and  river  in  North- 
western Greece  [the  ancient  Epirus] ;  Bozzaris  was  himself  a  Suliote. 


136  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

There  2  had  the  Persian's  thousands  stood, 
There  had  the  glad  earth  drunk  their  blood, 

On  old  Platsea's  2  day  ; 
And  now  there  breathed  that  haunted  air, 
The  sons  of  sires  who  conquer'd  there, 
With  arm  to  strike,  and  soul  to  dare, 

As  quick,  as  far,  as  they. 

An  hour  pass'd  on  :  the  Turk  awoke  : 

That  bright  dream  was  his  last. 
He  woke  to  hear  his  sentries  shriek, 
"  To  arms  !  they  come  !  the  Greek !  the  Greek !  " 
He  woke,  to  die  'midst  flame  and  smoke, 
And  shout,  and  groan,  and  sabre-stroke, 

And  death-shots  falling  thick  and  fast 
As  liofhtnincrs  from  the  mountain  cloud, 
And  heard,  with  voice  as  trumpet  loud, 

Bozzaris  cheer  his  band  : 
"  Strike  !  —  till  the  last  arm'd  foe  expires  ; 
Strike  !  —  for  your  altars  and  your  fires  ; 
Strike  !  —  for  the  green  graves  of  your  sires ; 

God,  and  your  native  land  !  " 

They  fought  like  brave  men,  long  and  well ; 
They  piled  that  ground  with  Moslem  3  slain; 

1  Bozzaris  attacked  the  Turks  in  their  camp  not  far  from  Missolonghi, 
near  the  entrance  of  the  Gulf  of  Corinth.  The  scene  of  the  hattle  can  only 
he  said  to  he  near  that  of  Platrea  in  the  sense  that  hoth  were  on  the  shore 
of  the  gulf. 

2  Platsea  (Pla-te'a)  :  in  479  B.C.  the  Greeks  defeated  an  invading  army 
of  Persians  at  Plat^a,  a  town  northwest  of  Athens,  and  a  short  distance 
from  the  head  of  the  Gull  of  Corinth. 

3  Moslem  :  Mohammedans  or  Turks. 


MARCO   BOZZARIS.  137 

They  conquer' d  ;  —  but  Bozzaris  fell, 

Bleeding  at  every  vein. 
His  few  surviving  comrades  saw 
His  smile  when  rang  their  loud  hurrah, 

And  the  red  field  was  won  ; 
Then  saw  in  death  his  eyelids  close, 
Calmly  as  to  a  night's  repose,  — 

Like  flowers  at  set  of  sun. 

Come  to  the  bridal  chamber,  Death, 

Come  to  the  mother's,  when  she  feels, 
For  the  first  time,  her  first-born's  breath ; 

Come,  when  the  blessed l  seals  2 
That  close  the  pestilence  are  broke, 
And  crowded  cities  wail  its  stroke : 
Come  in  consumption's  ghastly  form, 
The  earthquake  shock,  the  ocean  storm ; 
Come  when  the  heart  beats  high  and  warm 

With  banquet  song  and  dance  and  wine  ; 
And  thou  art  terrible  :  —  the  tear, 
The  groan,  the  knell,  the  pall,  the  bier, 
And  all  we  know,  or  dream,  or  fear, 

Of  agony,  are  thine. 

But  to  the  hero,  when  his  sword 

Has  won  the  battle  for  the  free, 
Thy  voice  sounds  like  a  prophet's  word, 
And  in  its  hollow  tones  are  heard 

The  thanks  of  millions  yet  to  be. 

1  Blessed :  pronounced  here  in  two  syllables,  blessed. 

2  Seals:  apparently  an  allusion  to  the  opening  of  the  seals  in  Rev.  vi.,  or 
to  the  pouring  out  of  the  vials  of  wrath,  chapter  xvi. 


138  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

Come  when  his  task  of  fame  is  wrought ; 
Come,  with  her  laurel-leaf,1  blood-bought ; 

Come  in  her  crowning  hour,  —  and  then 
Thy  sunken  eye's  unearthly  light 
To  him  is  welcome  as  the  sight 

Of  sky  and  stars  to  prison'd  men ; 
Thy  grasp  is  welcome  as  the  hand 
Of  brother  in  a  foreign  land ; 
Thy  summons  welcome  as  the  cry 
That  told  the  Indian  isles  2  were  nigh 

To  the  world-seeking  Genoese,3 
When  the  land-wind,  from  woods  of  palm, 
And  orange  groves,  and  fields  of  balm,4 

Blew  o'er  the  Ilaytien  seas.5 

Bozzaris  !  with  the  storied  brave 

Greece  nurtured  in  her  glory's  time, 
Rest  thee :  there  is  no  prouder  grave, 

Even  in  her  own  proud  clime. 
She  wore  no  funeral  weeds  6  for  thee, 

Nor  bade  the  dark  hearse  wave  its  plume, 
Like  torn  branch  from  death's  leafless  tree, 
In  sorrow's  pomp  and  pageantry, 

The  heartless  luxury  of  the  tomb ; 
But  she  remembers  thee  as  one 

Long  loved,  and  for  a  season  gone ; 

1  Laurel-leaf :  an  allusion  to  the  laurel  crowns  given  hy  the  Greeks  to 
those  who  were  victors  in  the  ancient  games. 

-  Indian  isles  :  the  West  Indies. 

8  Genoese:  Columbus ;  he  however  was  not  seeking  a  New  World,  hut  a 
new  way  to  the  Old  World,  of  India,  or  Asia. 

*  Balm :  here,  any  fragrant  plants. 

e  Haytien  seas:  the  seas  ahout  the  island  of  Hayti. 

6  Weeds:  mourning. 


MARCO   BOZZARIS.  139 

For  thee  her  poet's  lyre  1  is  wreathed, 
Her  marble  wrought,  her  music  breathed ; 
For  thee  she  rings  the  birthday  bells ; 
Of  thee  her  babes'  first  lisping  tells ; 
For  thine  her  evening  prayer  is  said, 
At  palace  couch  and  cottage  bed : 
Her  soldier,  closing  with  the  foe, 
Gives  for  thy  sake  a  deadlier  blow; 
His  plighted  maiden,  when  she  fears 
For  him,  the  joy  of  her  young  years, 
Thinks  of  thy  fate,  and  checks  her  tears ; 

And  she,  the  mother  of  tlry  boys, 
Though  in  her  eye  and  faded  cheek 
Is  read  the  grief  she  will  not  speak, 

The  memory  of  her  buried  joys,  — 
And  even  she  who  gave  thee  birth 
Will,  by  their  pilgrim-circled  hearth,2 

Talk  of  thy  doom  without  a  sigh ; 
For  thou  art  Freedom's  now,  and  Fame's, 
One  of  the  few,  th'  immortal  names 

That  were  not  born  to  die. 

Fitz-Gkeene  Halleck. 

1  Lyre :  a  kind  of  harp. 

2  Pilgrim-circled  hearth  :  the  hearth  of  the  widow  of  Bozzaris,  round 
which  travellers  from  foreign  lands  gathered  to  hear  his  story  and  that  of 
Greek  Independence. 


140  HEROIC   BALLADS. 


THE   NATION'S   DEAD. 


Four  hundred  thousand  men, 

The  brave,  the  good,  the  true, 
In  tangled  wood,  in  mountain  glen, 
On  battle  plain,  in  prison  pen, 

Lie  dead  for  me  and  you. 
Four  hundred  thousand  of  the  brave 
Have  made  our  ransomed  soil  their  grave, 
For  me  and  you, 

Good  friend,  for  me  and  you. 

In  many  a  fevered  swamp, 

liy  many  a  black  bayou,1 
In  many  a  cold  and  frozen  camp, 
The  weary  sentinel  ceased  his  tramp, 

And  died  for  me  and  you. 
From  western  plain  to  ocean  tide 
Are  stretched  the  graves  of  those  who  died 
For  me  and  you, 

Good  friend,  for  me  and  you. 

On  many  a  bloody  plain 

Their  ready  swords  they  drew, 
And  poured  their  life-blood  like  the  rain, 
A  home,  a  heritage,  to  gain, 

To  gain  for  me  and  you. 

1  Bayou  (bi-oo") :  the  narrow  outlet  of  a  lake  or  a  channel  of  water  or 
creek  in  the  valley  of  the  lower  Mississippi. 


THE   NATION'S   DEAD.  141 

Our  brothers  mustered  by  our  side, 
They  marched,  and  fought,  and  bravely  died 
For  me  and  you, 
Good  friend,  for  me  and  you. 

Up  many  a  fortress  wall 

They  charged,  those  boys  in  blue  ; 
'Mid  surging  smoke  and  volleyed  ball, 
The  bravest  were  the  first  to  fall, 

To  fall  for  me  and  you. 
Those  noble  men,  the  nation's  pride, 
Four  hundred  thousand  men,  have  died 
For  me  and  you, 

Good  friend,  for  me  and  you. 

In  treason's  prison-hold 

Their  martyr  spirits  grew 
To  stature  like  the  saints  of  old, 
While,  amid  agonies  untold, 

They  starved  for  me  and  you. 
The  good,  the  patient,  and  the  tried, 
Four  hundred  thousand  men,  have  died 
For  me  and  you, 

Good  friend,  for  me  and  you. 

A  debt  we  ne'er  can  pay 

To  them  is  justly  due  ; 
And  to  the  nation's  latest  day 
Our  children's  children  still  shall  say, 

"  They  died  for  me  and  you." 

Four  hundred  thousand  of  the  brave 

Made  this,  our  ransomed  soil,  their  grave, 

For  me  and  you, 

Good  friend,  for  me  and  you. 

Anonymous. 


142  HEROIC  BALLADS. 


SONG   OF  THE   CORNISH   MEN.1 


A  good  sword  and  a  trusty  hand  ! 

A  merry  heart  and  true  ! 
King  James's  2  men  shall  understand 

What  Cornish  lads  can  do. 

And  have  they  fixed  the  where  and  when  ? 

And  shall  Trelawny  die  ? 
Here's  twenty  thousand  Cornish  men 

Will  know  the  reason  why ! 

Outspake  their  captain,  brave  and  bold, 

A  merry  wight 3  was  he : 
"  If  London  Tower  were  Michael's  hold,4 

We'll  set  Trelawny  free  ! 

1  In  1088,  King  James  II.  of  England  ordered  the  clergy  throughout  the 
realm  to  read  a  royal  proclamation  which  suspended  all  penal  laws  against 
Protestant  Dissenters  and  Roman  Catholics.  The  Archhishop  of  Canterbury 
and  six  hishops  of  the  English  Church,  believing  that  the  king's  real  ohject 
was  to  favor  the  Catholic  party,  petitioned  His  Majesty  to  he  excused  from 
reading  the  proclamation.  He  refused  to  consider  their  petition  ;  and  as 
the  proclamation  was  read  hy  only  a  very  few  of  the  clergy,  he  sent  the 
hishops  prisoners  to  the  Tower  of  London. 

One  of  them  was  Trelawny,  a  native  of  Cornwall.  The  rough  Cornish 
miners  demanded  his  release,  and  from  one  end  of  Cornwall  to  the  other 
people  were  heard  sinking  this  song. 

The  pressure  brought  to  hear  on  the  king  and  his  servile  bench  of  judges 
was  so  great  that  on  their  trial  the  bishops  were  all  acquitted.  Soon  after, 
James  fled  the  country,  and  William  and  Mary  came  to  the  throne. 

■i  King  James  :  James  II.  3  Wight :  person. 

1  Michael's  hold  :  St.  Michael's  castle  and  stronghold  on  the  coast  of 
Cornwall. 


SONG   OF   THE   CORNISH   MEN.  143 

"  We'll  cross  the  Tamar *  land  to  land, 

The  Severn 1  is  no  stay  — 
With  one  and  all,  and  hand-in-hand, 

And  who  shall  bid  us  nay  ? 

"  And  when  we  come  to  London  wall, — 

A  pleasant  sight  to  view,  — 
Come  forth !  come  forth,  ye  cowards  all, 

To  better  men  than  you ! 

"  Trelawny  he's  in  keep  and  hold,2 

Trelawny  he  may  die  ; 
But  here's  twenty  thousand  Cornish  bold 

Will  know  the  reason  why  !  " 

Robert   Stephen  Hawker. 

i  Tamar  and  Severn :  rivers  of  the  south  of  England.  The  Severn,  how- 
ever, would  not  he  crossed  by  the  Cornish  men  on  their  march  to  London ; 
perhaps  the  Avon  is  meant. 

2  Keep  and  hold  :  dungeon  and  fortress  or  stronghold. 


144  HEROIC   BALLADS. 


THE  RELIEF   OF   LUCKNOW.1 


Oh,  that  last  day  in  Lucknow  fort ! 

We  knew  that  it  was  the  last ; 
That  the  enemy's  mines  2  crept  surely  in, 

And  the  end  was  coming  fast. 

To  yield  to  that  foe  meant  worse  than  death ; 

And  the  men  and  we  all  worked  on ; 
It  was  one  day  more  of  smoke  and  roar, 

And  then  it  would  all  be  done. 

There  was  one  of  us,  a  corporal's  wife, 

A  fair,  young,  gentle  thing, 
Wasted  with  fever  in  the  siege, 

And  her  mind  was  wandering. 


1  The  Relief  of  Lucknow :  In  1857  a  fearful  and  wide-spread  mutiny 
broke  out  among  the  native  troops  of  India  against  their  English  rulers. 

On  the  1st  of  July  a  large  number  of  English  including  about  I'M  women 
and  children  were  besieged  in  the  fort  of  Lucknow,  a  town  of  Northern 
India,  on  a  tributary  of  the  Ganges. 

The  garrison  was  too  small  to  properly  defend  the  place  ;  food  began  to 
grow  scarce,  and  fever,  small-pox,  and  cholera  carried  off  many. 

lor  nearly  three  months  the  besieged  waited  for  succor.  At  length,  on 
Sept.  25,  General  Havelock  came  to  their  rescue,  though  the  final  relief  of 
the  place  did  not  occur  until  Sir  Colin  Campbell  rescued  the  garrison 
nearly  a  month  later. 

2  Mines  :  excavations  made  by  the  enemy  for  the  purpose  of  blowing  up 
the  fort. 


THE   RELIEF    OF   LUCKNOW.  145 

She  lay  on  the  ground,  in  her  Scottish  plaid, 

And  I  took  her  head  on  my  knee ; 
"  When  my  father  comes  hame  frae  the  pleugh," 1  she 
said, 

"  Oh !  then  please  wauken  2  me." 

She  slept  like  a  child  on  her  father's  floor, 

In  the  flecking3  of  wood-bine  shade, 
When  the  house-dog  sprawls  by  the  open  door, 

And  the  mother's  wheel 4  is  stayed.5 

It  was  smoke  and  roar  and  powder-stench, 

And  hopeless  waiting  for  death ; 
And  the  soldier's  wife,  like  a  full-tired  child, 

Seemed  scarce  to  draw  her  breath. 

I  sank  to  sleep ;  and  I  had  my  dream 

Of  an  English  village-lane, 
And  wall  and  garden  ;  but  one  wild  scream 

Brought  me  back  to  the  roar  again. 

There  Jessie  Brown  stood  listening 

Till  a  sudden  gladness  broke 
All  over  her  face  ;  and  she  caught  my  hand 

And  drew  me  near  and  spoke  : 

"  The  Hielanders  ! 6  Oh  !  dinna  ye  hear 

The  slogan 7  far  awa  ? 
The  McGregor's  ? 8     Oh  !  I  ken  9  it  weel ; 10 

It's  the  grandest  o'  them  a' ! 

1  Pleugh :  plough.  2  Wauken  :  waken. 

8  Flecking :  here,  dappling  or  variegating  with  light  and  shade. 
4  Wheel :  spinning-wheel.  5  Stayed :  stopped. 

6  Hielanders  :  Highlanders.  7  Slogan:  the  war-cry. 

8  McGregor's  :  the  Highland  clan  of  that  name. 

9  Ken :  know.  10  Weel :  well. 


146  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

"  God  bless  thae 1  bonny 2  Icelanders  ! 

We're  saved!  we're  saved!  "  she  cried; 
And  fell  on  her  knees  ;  and  thanks  to  God 

Flowed  forth  like  a  full  flood-tide. 

Along  the  battery  line  her  cry 

Had  fallen  among  the  men, 
And  they  started  back  ;  —  they  were  there  to  die ; 

But  was  life  so  near  them,  then  ? 

They  listened  for  life  ;   the  rattling  fire 

Far  off,  and  the  far-off  roar, 
Were  all ;  and  the  colonel  shook  his  head, 

And  they  turned  to  their  guns  once  more. 

Then  Jessie  said,  "  That  slogan's  done ; 

But  can  ye  hear  them  noo,3 
"  The  Campbells  are  comin"  "  ?  4  It's  no  a  dream  ; 

Our  succors  5  hae  broken  through." 

We  heard  the  roar  and  the  rattle  afar, 

But  the  pipes6  we  could  not  hear ; 
So  the  men  plied  their  work  of  hopeless  war, 

And  knew  that  the  end  was  near. 

It  was  not  long  ere  it  made  its  way,  • 

A  thrilling,  ceaseless  sound : 
It  was  no  noise  from  the  strife  afar, 

Or  the  sappers  7  under  ground. 

i  Thae  :  those.  -  Bonny  :  handsome,  good.  3  Noo  :  now. 

4  "  The  Campbells  are  comin' "  :  a  famous  Scotch  tune. 
s Succors:  rescuers.  cpipes:  bag-pipes. 

7  Sappers :  the  enemy's  soldiers  engaged  in  making  the  mines  to  blow 
up  the  fort. 


THE   RELIEF   OF    LUCKNOW.  147 

It  was  the  pipers  of  the  Highlanders  ! 

And  now  they  played  "  Auld  Lang  Syne." 
It  came  to  our  men  like  the  voice  of  God, 

And  they  shouted  along  the  line. 

And  they  wept,  and  shook  one  another's  hands, 

And  the  women  sobbed  in  a  crowd ; 
And  every  one  knelt  down  where  he  stood, 

And  we  all  thanked  God  aloud. 

That  happy  day,  when  we  welcomed  them, 

Our  men  put  Jessie  first ; 
And  the  general  gave  her  his  hand,  and  cheers 

Like  a  storm  from  the  soldiers  burst. 

And  the  pipers'  ribbons  and  tartan  1  streamed, 
Marching  round  and  round  our  line  ; 

And  our  joyful  cheers  were  broken  with  tears, 
As  the  pipes  played  "  Auld  Lang  Syne." 

Robert  Trail  Spence  Lowell. 

1  Tartan :  the  Scotch  plaid. 


148  HEROIC   BALLADS. 


CASABIANCA.1 


The  boy  stood  on  the  burning  deck 

Whence  all  but  him  had  fled  ; 
The  flame  that  lit  the  battle's  wreck 

Shone  round  him  o'er  the  dead. 

Yet  beautiful  and  bright  he  stood, 

As  born  to  rule  the  storm ; 
A  creature  of  heroic  blood, 

A  proud,  though  childlike  form. 

The  flames  rolled  on  —  he  would  not  ^o 
Without  his  father's  word ; 

i  Casabianca  (Ka-sa-be-an'ka)  :  There  are  several  versions  of  the  story 
of  Casabianca,  no  one  of  which  can  be  said  to  be  capable  of  historical 
proof,  yet  all  probably  have  some  common  foundation  in  fact. 

The  usual  account  represents  him  as  a  lad  of  ten,  the  son  of  Admiral 
Brueys,  commander  of  the  French  man-of-war  L'Oricnt. 

At  the  battle  of  the  Nile  between  Nelson  and  Napoleon  in  1798,  Admiral 
Brueys  was  mortally  wounded,  and  left  to  die  on  the  deck  of  his  ship. 

Shortly  after  nightfall  the  vessel  was  discovered  to  be  in  flames,  and  a 
number  of  English  sailors  went  at  Nelson's  orders  to  rescue  the  officers 
and  crew. 

All  left  the  doomed  ship  but  Casabianca.  He  refused,  saying  that  his 
father,  who  was  now  dead,  had  told  him  not  to  leave  his  post,  and  that  he 
would  not  disobey  him. 

There  was  no  time  for  delay  ;  the  boat  put  off,  and  in  a  few  minutes  later 
the  French  frigate  blew  up.  Whether  Casabianca  lost  his  life  in  the  explo- 
sion or  whether,  as  some  suppose,  he  leaped  overboard  just  before  it  oc- 
curred in  the  attempt  to  swim  ashore  with  his  father's  corpse,  is  unknown  ; 
but  in  eitber  case  the  brave  boy  perished. 


CASABIANCA.  149 

That  father,  faint  in  death  below, 
His  voice  no  longer  heard. 

He  called  aloud  —  "  Say,  father,  say, 

If  yet  my  task  is  done  ?  " 
He  knew  not  that  the  chieftain  lay 

Unconscious  of  his  son. 

"  Speak,  father !  "  once  again  he  cried, 

"  If  I  may  yet  be  gone  !  " 
And  but  the  booming  shots  1  replied, 

And  fast  the  flames  rolled  on. 

Upon  his  brow  he  felt  their  breath, 

And  in  his  waving  hair, 
And  looked  from  that  lone  post  of  death 

In  still,  yet  brave  despair. 

And  shouted  but  once  more  aloud, 

"  My  father !  must  I  stay  ?  " 
While  o'er  him  fast,  through  sail  and  shroud,2 

The  wreathing  fires  made  way. 

They  wrapt  the  ship  in  splendor  wild, 

They  caught  the  flag  on  high, 
And  streamed  above  the  gallant  child, 

Like  banners  in  the  sky. 

There  came  a  burst  of  thunder  sound 3  — 
The  boy  —  oh  !  where  was  he  ? 

1  Booming  shots  :  the  beat  of  the  flames  discharged  the  loaded  cannon 
of  L'Orient. 

-  Shroud :  a  large  rope  supporting  a  mast. 

3  Thunder  sound :  the  explosion  of  the  magazine. 


150  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

Ask  of  the  winds  that  far  around 
With  fragments  strewed  the  sea !  — 

With  mast,  and  helm,  and  pennon1  fair 
That  well  had  borne  their  part  — 

But  the  noblest  thing  that  perished  there 
Was  that  young,  faithful  heart ! 

Felicia  Dorothea  Hemans. 

i  Pennon :  a  long,  pointed  flag,  or  streamer. 


THE  BLUE  AND  THE  GRAY.         151 


THE   BLUE   AND   THE  GRAY.1 


By  the  flow  of  the  inland  river, 

Whence  the  fleets  of  iron  have  fled, 
Where  the  blades  of  the  grave-grass  quiver, 
Asleep  are  the  ranks  of  the  dead : 
Under  the  sod  and  the  dew, 

Waiting  the  judgment-day ; 
Under  the  one,  the  Blue, 
Under  the  other,  the  Gray. 

These  in  the  robings  of  glory, 

Those  in  the  gloom  of  defeat, 
All  with  the  battle-blood  gory, 
In  the  dusk  of  eternity  meet : 
Under  the  sod  and  the  dew, 

Waiting  the  judgment-day ; 
Under  the  laurel,  the  Blue, 
Under  the  willow,  the  Gray. 

From  the  silence  of  sorrowful  hours 

The  desolate  mourners  go, 
Lovingly  laden  with  flowers 

Alike  for  the  friend  and  the  foe : 

1  A  poem  suggested,  it  is  said,  by  the  fact  that  when  on  Decoration  Day 
the  women  of  Columbus,  Miss.,  placed  flowers  on  the  graves  of  those  who 
fell  in  the  war,  they  remembered  the  Union  soldiers  as  well  as  the  Con- 
federates. 


152  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

Under  the  sod  and  the  dew, 
Waiting  the  judgment-day; 

Under  the  roses,  the  Blue, 
Under  the  lilies,  the  Gray. 

So  with  an  equal  splendor 

The  morning  sun-rays  fall, 
With  a  touch  impartially  tender, 
On  the  blossoms  blooming  for  all  : 
Under  the  sod  and  the  dew, 

Waiting  the  judgment-day ; 
Broidered  with  gold,  the  Blue, 
Mellowed  with  gold,  the  Gray. 

So,  when  the  summer  ealleth, 
On  forest  and  field  of  grain, 
With  an  equal  murmur  falleth 
The  cooling  drip  of  the  rain  : 
Under  the  sod  and  the  dew, 

Waiting  the  judgment-day; 
Wet  with  the  rain,  the  Blue, 
Wet  with  the  rain,  the  Gray. 

Sadly,  but  not  with  upbraiding, 
The  generous  deed  was  done, 
In  the  storm  of  the  years  that  are  fading, 
No  braver  battle  was  won  : 

Under  the  sod  and  the  dew, 

Waiting  the  judgment-day ; 
Under  the  blossoms,  the  Blue, 
Under  the  garlands,  the  Gray. 


THE  BLUE  AND  THE  GRAY.  153 

No  more  shall  the  war-cry  sever, 
Or  the  winding  rivers  be  red; 
They  banish  our  anger  forever 

When  they  laurel  the  graves  of  our  dead ! 
Under  the  sod  and  the  dew, 

Waiting  the  judgment-day ; 
Love  and  tears  for  the  Blue, 
Tears  and  love  for  the  Gray. 

Francis  Miles  Finch. 


154  HEROIC   BALLADS. 


CIIEVY-CHASE.1 


God  prosper  long  our  noble  king, 

( )ur  lives  and  safeties  all ; 
A  woful  hunting  once  there  did 

In  Chevy-Chase  befall. 

To  drive  the  deer  with  hound  and  horn 

Earl  Percy  2  took  his  way  ; 
The  child  may  rue  that  is  unborn 

The  hunting  of  that  day. 

The  stout  earl  of  Northumberland 

A  vow  to  God  did  make, 
J  lis  pleasure  in  the  Scottish  woods 

Three  summer  days  to  take  — 

1  Chevy-Chase  :  that  is,  the  hunt  among  the  Chev'I-ot  Hills  which  sepa- 
rate England  from  Scotland.  This  ballad  contains  an  account  not  only  of 
Chevy-Chase,  hut  also  of  the  Battle  of  Otterburn;  in  fact  it  is  this  latter 
battle,  fought  between  the  English  and  the  Scotch  in  1388  at  Otterburn, 
in  the  border  county  of  Northumberland,  England,  which  gives  the  poem 
its  real  significance. 

The  Scots  gained  a  decisive  victory.  Burton,  in  his  history  of  Scotland, 
says  that  the  fight  "marks  the  fading  from  the  defenders  of  Scotland  of 
the  dread  of  immediate  absolute  conquest  by  England." 

-Earl  Percy:  Henry  Percy.  Earl  of  Northumberland.  His  son  Henry 
—  Shakespeare's  "  Hotspur,"  sec  •'  Henry  IV.,"  Part  1st  — killed  the  Scotch 
Earl  of  Douglas  in  the  battle  of  Otterburn  ;  though  in  the  ballad  Douglas 
is  represented  as  meeting  his  death  from  the  arrow  of  an  English  archer. 


CHEVY-CHASE.  155 

The  chiefest  harts  1  in  Chevy-Chase 

To  kill  and  bear  away. 
These  tidings  to  Earl  Douglas  came, 

In  Scotland  where  he  lay ; 

Who  sent  Earl  Percy  present  word 

He  would  prevent  his  sport. 
The  English  earl,  not  fearing  that, 

Did  to  the  woods  resort, 

* 

With  fifteen  hundred  bowmen  bold, 

All  chosen  men  of  might, 
Who  knew  full  well  in  time  of  need 

To  aim  their  shafts  aright. 

The  gallant  greyhounds  swiftly  ran 

To  chase  the  fallow2  deer; 
On  Monday  they  began  to  hunt 

When  daylight  did  appear; 

And  long  before  high  noon  they  had 

A  hundred  fat  bucks  slain ; 
Then  having  dined,  the  drovers3  went 

To  rouse  the  deer  again. 

The  bowmen  mustered  on  the  hills, 

Well  able  to  endure  ; 
And  all  their  rear,  with  special  care, 

That  day  was  guarded  sure. 

The  hounds  ran  swiftly  through  the  woods, 
The  nimble  deer  to  take, 

1  Harts :  bucks.  "  Fallow :  pale  red  or  pale  yellow. 

3  Drovers:  those  whose  duty  it  was  to  rouse  or  beat  up  the  game  for  the 
archers. 


150  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

That  with  their  cries  the  hills  and  dales 
An  echo  shrill  did  make. 

Lord  Percy  to  the  quarry 1  went, 

To  view  the  slaughtered  deer ; 
Quoth  he,  "  Earl  Douglas  promised 

This  day  to  meet  me  here ; 

"  But  if  I  thought  he  would  not  come, 

No  longer  would  I  stay ; " 
With  that  a  brave  young  gentleman 

Thus  to  the  earl  did  stvy : 

"  Lo,  yonder  doth  Earl  Douglas  come, 

His  men  in  armor  bright ; 
Full  twenty  hundred  Scottish  spears 

All  marching  in  our  sight; 

"All  men  of  pleasant  Teviotdale, 

F;ust  by2  the  river  Tweed  ; 3" 
"  Then  cease  your  sports,"  Earl  Percy  said, 

"And  take  your  hows  with  speed; 

"And  now  with  me,  my  countrymen, 

Your  courage  forth  advance  ; 
For  never  was  there  champion  yet, 

In  Scotland  or  in  France, 

"  That  ever  did  on  horseback  come, 
But  if  my  hap4  it  were, 

1  Quarry  :  a  heap  of  dead  game.  -  Fast  by :  near  by. 

3  Tweed:  the  Tweed   forms  part  of  the  boundary  between  England  and 
Scotland.    It  empties  into  tbe  North  Sea,  or  German  Ocean. 

4  Hap  :  chance,  hick. 


CHEVY-CHASE.  157 

I  durst  encounter  man  for  man, 
\yith  him  to  break  a  spear."  1 

Earl  Douglas  on  his  milk-white  steed, 

Most  like  a  baron  bold, 
Rode  foremost  of  his  company, 

Whose  armor  shone  like  s^old. 

"  Show  me,"  said  he,  "  whose  men  you  be, 

That  hunt  so  boldly  here, 
That,  without  my  consent,  do  chase 

And  kill  my  fallow-deer." 

The  first  man  that  did  answer  make, 

Was  noble  Percy  he  — 
Who  said,  "  We  list  not  to  declare, 

Nor  show  whose  men  we  be : 

"  Yet  will  we  spend  our  dearest  blood 

Thy  chiefest  harts  to  slay." 
Then  Douglas  swore  a  solemn  oath, 

And  thus  in  rage  did  say : 

"  Ere  thus  I  will  out-braved  be, 

One  of  us  two  shall  die ; 
I  know  thee  well,  an  earl  thou  art  — 

Lord  Percy,  so  am  I. 

"  But  trust  me,  Percy,  pity  it  were, 

And  great  offence,  to  kill 
Any  of  these  our  guiltless  men, 

For  they  have  done  no  ill. 

i  Break  a  spear :  to  fight  with  spears  on  horseback. 


158  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

"  Let  you  and  me  the  battle  try, 

And  set  our  men  aside." 
"  Accursed  be  he,"  Earl  Percy  said, 

"  By  whom  this  is  denied." 

Then  stepped  a  gallant  squire  1  forth, 
Witherington  was  his  name, 

Who  said,  "  I  would  not  have  it  told 
To  Henry,  our  king,2  for  shame, 

"  That  e'er  3  my  captain  fought  on  foot, 

And  I  stood  looking  on. 
You  two  be  earls,"  said  Witherington, 

"  And  I  a  squire  alone  ; 

"  I'll  do  the  best  that  do  I  ma)', 
While  I  have  power  to  stand ; 

While  I  have  power  to  wield  my  sAvord, 
I'll  fisrht  with  heart  and  hand." 


» 


Our  English  archers  bent  their  bows  — 
Their  hearts  were  good  and  true  ; 

At  the  first  flight  of  arrows  sent, 
Full  fourscore  Scots  they  slew. 

Yet  stays  Earl  Douglas  on  the  bent,4 

As  chieftain  stout  and  good  ; 
As  valiant  captain,  all  unmoved, 

The  shock  he  firmly  stood. 

1  Squire:  the  attendant  of  a  knight. 

2  Henry,  our  king:  Richard  II.  was  king  of  England  in  1388  when  the 
hattle  of  Otterburn  was  fonght.  The  ballad  mixes  up  a  traditional  chase 
of  the  reign  of  Henry  VI.  with  the  battle.  •'  E'er:  ever. 

4  Bent :  here,  ground ;  from  "  bent,"  a  kind  of  grass ;  hence  a  moor  cov- 
ered with  beut. 


CIIEVY-CIIASE.  159 

His  host  he  parted  had  in  three, 

As  leader  ware *  and  tried ; 2 
And  soon  his  spearmen  on  their  foes 

Bore  down  on  every  side. 

Throughout  the  English  archery 

They  dealt  full  many  a  wound ; 
But  still  our  valiant  Englishmen 

All  firmly  kept  their  ground. 

And  throwing  straight  their  bows  away, 
They  grasped  their  swords  so  bright ; 

And  now  sharp  blows,  a  heavy  shower, 
On  shields  and  helmets  light. 

They  closed  full  fast  on  every  side  — 

No  slackness  there  was  found ; 
And  many  a  gallant  gentleman 

Lay  gasping  on  the  ground. 

In  truth,  it  was  a  grief  to  see 

How  each  one  chose  his  spear, 
And  how  the  blood  out  of  their  breasts 

Did  gush  like  water  clear. 

At  last  these  two  stout  earls  did  meet ; 

Like  captains  of  great  might, 
Like  lions  wode,3  they  laid  on  lode,4 

And  made  a  cruel  fight. 

They  fought  until  they  both  did  sweat, 
With  swords  of  tempered  steel, 

1  Ware:  wary,  cautious.  3  Wode    mad,  furious. 

2  Tried :  experienced.  *  Lode  :  blows. 


1G0  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

Until  the  blood,  like  drops  of  rain, 
They  trickling  down  did  feel. 

"  Yield  thee,  Lord  Percy,"  Douglas  said ; 

"  In  faith  I  will  thee  bring 
Where  thou  shalt  high  advanced  be 

By  James,1  our  Scottish  king. 

"  Thy  ransom  I  will  freely  give, 

And  this  report  of  thee, 
Thou  art  the  most  courageous  knight 

That  ever  I  did  see." 

"  No,  Douglas,"  saith  Earl  Percy  then, 

"  Thy  proffer  I  do  scorn ; 
I  will  not  yield  to  any  Scot 

That  ever  yet  was  born." 

With  that  there  came  an  arrow  keen 

Out  of  an  English  bow, 
Which  struck  Earl  Douglas  to  the  heart, 

A  deep  and  deadly  blow; 

Who  never  spake  more  words  than  these : 

"  Fight  on,  my  merry  men  all ; 
For  why,  my  life  is  at  an  end ; 

Lord  Percy  sees  my  fall." 

Then  leaving  life,  Earl  Percy  took 

The  dead  man  by  the  hand; 
And  said,  "  Earl  Douglas,  for  thy  life 

Would  I  had  lost  my  land. 

1  James:   tlif>  first  Scottish  king  of  that  name  was  crowned  in  1405. 
Robert  II.  ruled  Scotland  in  1388,  when  the  battle  was  fought. 


CHEVY-CHASE.  161 

"  In  truth,  my  very  heart  cloth  bleed 

With  sorrow  for  thy  sake  ; 
For  sure  a  more  redoubted 1  knight 

Mischance  did  never  take." 

A  knight  amongst  the  Scots  there  was 

Who  saw  Earl  Douglas  die, 
Who  straight  in  wrath  did  vow  revenge 

Upon  the  Earl  Percy. 

Sir  Hugh  Mountgomery  was  he  called, 

Who,  with  a  spear  full  bright, 
Well  mounted  on  a  gallant  steed, 

Ran  fiercely  through  the  fight ; 

And  past  the  English  archers  all, 

Without  a  dread  or  fear  ; 
And  through  Earl  Percy's  body  then 

He  thrust  his  hateful  spear ; 

With  such  vehement  force  and  might 

He  did  his  body  gore, 
The  staff  ran  through  the  other  side 

A  large  cloth-yard  2  and  more. 

So  thus  did  both  these  nobles  die, 

Whose  courage  none  could  stain. 
An  English  archer  then  perceived 

The  noble  earl  was  slain. 

He  had  a  bow  bent  in  his  hand, 
Made  of  a  trusty  tree ; 

1  Redoubted :  valiant. 

2  Cloth-yard :  that  is,  the  length  of  a  yard-stick  used  in  measuring  cloth- 


16:2  .       HEROIC   BALLADS. 

An  arrow  of  a  cloth-yard  long 
To  the  hard  head 1  haled  2  he. 

Against  Sir  Hugh  Mountgomery 

So  right  the  shaft  he  set, 
The  gray  goose  wing  3  that  was  thereon 

In  his  heart's  blood  was  wet. 

This  fight  did  last  from  break  of  day 

Till  setting  of  the  sun: 
For  when  they  rung  the  evening-bell, 

The  battle  scarce  was  done. 

With  stout  Earl  Percy  there  were  slain 

Sir  John  of  Egerton, 
Sir  Robert  Ratcliff,  and  Sir  John, 

Sir  James,  that  bold  baron. 

And  with  Sir  George  and  stout  Sir  James, 

Both  knights  of  good  account, 
Good  Sir  Ralph  Raby  there  w;is  slain, 

Whose  prowess  did  surmount. 

For  Witherington  my  heart  is  wo 

That  ever  he  slain  should  be, 
For  when  his  legs  were  hewn  in  two, 

He  knelt  and  fought  on  his  knee. 

And  with  Earl  Douglas  there  was  slain 

Sir  Hugh  Mountgomery, 
Sir  Charles  Murray,  that  from  the  field 

One  foot  would  never  flee. 

1  Hard  head  :  the  steel  point  of  the  arrow.  2  Haled :  drew. 

3  Gray  goose  wing:  the  feathers  fastened  to  an  arrow,  near  the  notched 
end,  to  guide  its  liight. 


CHEVY-CHASE.  .  163 

Sir  Charles  Murray  of  Ratcliff,  too  — 

His  sister's  son  was  he ; 
Sir  David  Lamb,  so  well  esteemed, 

But  saved  he  could  not  be. 

And  the  Lord  Maxwell  in  like  case 

Did  with  Earl  Douglas  die : 
Of  twenty  hundred  Scottish  spears, 

Scarce  fifty-five  did  fly. 

Of  fifteen  hundred  Englishmen, 

Went  home  but  fifty-three  ; 
The  rest  in  Chevy-Chase  were  slain, 

Under  the  greenwood  tree. 

Next  day  did  many  widows  come, 

Their  husbands  to  bewail ; 
They  washed  their  wounds  in  brinish  tears, 

But  all  would  not  prevail. 

Their  bodies,  bathed  in  purple  blood, 

They  bore  with  them  away ; 
They  kissed  them  dead  a  thousand  times, 

Ere  they  were  clad  in  clay.1 

The  news  was  brought  to  Edinburgh, 

Where  Scotland's  king  did  reign, 
That  brave  Earl  Douglas  suddenly 

Was  with  an  arrow  slain : 

"  Oh  heavy  news,"  King  James  did  say  ; 

"  Scotland  can  witness  be 
I  have  not  any  captain  more 

Of  such  account  as  he." 

1  Clad  in  clay  :  buried. 


164  •      HEROIC   BALLADS. 

Like  tidings  to  King  Henry  came 

Within  as  short  a  space, 
That  Percy  of  Northumberland 

Was  slain  in  Chevy-Chase  : 

"  Now  God  be  with  him,"  said  our  king, 

"  Since  'twill  no  better  be  ; 
I  trust  I  have  within  my  realm 

Five  hundred  as  good  as  he  : 

"  Yet  shall  not  Scots  or  Scotland  say 

But  I  will  vengeance  take  : 
I'll  be  revenged  on  them  all, 

For  brave  Earl  Percy's  sake." 

This  vow  full  well  the  king  performed 

After  at  Ilumhledown  ; * 
In  one  day  fifty  knights  were  slain, 

With  lords  of  high  renown  ; 

And  of  the  best,  of  small  account, 

Did  many  hundreds  die : 
Thus  endeth  the  hunting  of  Chevy-Chase, 

Made  by  the  Earl  Percy. 

God  save  the  king,  and  bless  this  land, 

With  plenty,  joy,  and  peace  ; 
And  grant,  henceforth,  that  foul  debate  2 

'Twixt  noblemen  may  cease  ! 

Anonymous. 


i  Humbledown  :  ITumbleton,  Northumberland,  England.    Here  the  Eng- 
lish gained  a  great  victory  over  the  Scotch  in  1402. 
8  Debate :  contest. 


THE    BALLAD   OF   AGINCOURT.  165 


THE  BALLAD    OF   AGINCOURT.1 


Fair  stood  the  wind  for  France, 
When  we  our  sails  advance, 
Nor  now  to  prove  our  chance 

Longer  will  tarry ; 
But  putting  to  the  main,2 
At  Kaux,3  the  mouth  of  Seine, 
With  all  his  martial  train, 

Landed  King  Harry. 

And  taking  many  a  fort, 
Furnished  in  warlike  sort, 
Marched  towards  Agincourt 
In  happy  hour  — 

1  Agincourt  (Ah-zhan-koor')  :  to  divert  the  attention  of  his  people  from 
dangerous  political  questions  at  home,  and  also  to  gratify  hopes  of  con- 
quest, Henry  V.  of  England  began  a  war  with  France  in  1415.  The  battle 
of  Agincourt  was  fought  that  year.  It  gets  its  name  from  the  little  village 
of  Agincourt,  in  the  Department  of  Calais,  about  forty  miles  southwest  of 
that  port. 

The  French  greatly  outnumbered  Henry's  forces;  but  the  English  had 
the  good  fortune  to  be  able  to  use  their  bowmen  to  the  best  possible  advan- 
tage, as  a  hard  rain  had  fallen  the  night  before,  and  the  heavily  armed 
French  troops  could  with  difficulty  get  over  the  muddy  ploughed  land. 

The  English  king  gained  a  great  victory,  and  went  back  to  London  in 
triumph.  Later  he  renewed  the  war,  and  obtained  the  hand  of  the  French 
princess  Katherine  in  marriage,  and  the  promise  of  the  crown  of  France  on 
the  death  of  Charles  VI.,  her  father,  who  was  then  insane,  and  in  feeble 
health. 

2  To  the  main :  to  sea. 
8  Kaux  (Ko). 


166  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

Skirmishing  day  by  day 
With  those  that  stopped  his  way, 
Where  the  French  gen'ral  lay 
With  all  his  power, 

Which  in  his  height  of  pride, 
King  Henry  to  deride, 
His  ransom  1  to  provide 

To  the  king  sending  ; 
Which  he  neglects  the  while, 
As  from  a  nation  vile, 
Yet,  with  an  angry  smile, 

Their  fall  portending. 

And  turning  to  his  men, 
Quoth  our  brave  Henry  then : 
Though  they  to  one  be  ten, 

Be  not  amazed ; 
Yet  have  we  well  begun  — 
Battles  so  bravely  won 
Have  ever  to  the  sun 

By  fame  been  raised. 

And  for  myself,  quoth  he, 
This  my  full  rest  shall  be  ; 
England  ne'er  mourn  for  me, 

Nor  more  esteem  me. 
Victor  I  will  remain, 
Or  on  this  earth  lie  slain  ; 
Never  shall  she,  sustain 

Loss  to  redeem  me. 

1  Ransom  :  it  was  the  custom  then  for  the  victors  to  extort  heavy  ran- 
soms from  all  prisoners  of  rank  taken  in  war.  The  French  king  demands 
Henry's  ransom  in  advance  of  the  battle  by  way  of  deriding  his  power. 


THE   BALLAD   OF   AGINCOURT.  1G7 

Poitiers  and  Cressy  1  tell, 

When  most  their  pride  did  swell, 

Under  our  swords  they  fell ; 

No  less  our  skill  is 
Than  when  our  grandsire  2  great, 
Claiming  the  regal  seat, 
By  many  a  warlike  feat 

Lopped  the  French  lilies.3 

The  Duke  of  York  so  dread 
The  eager  vaward  4  led  ; 
With  the  main  5  Henry  sped, 

Amongst  his  henchmen.6 
Excester7  had  the  rear  — 
A  braver  man  not  there : 
O  Lord  !  how  hot  they  were 

On  the  false  Frenchmen  ! 

They  now  to  fight  are  gone  ; 
Armor  on  armor  shone  ; 
Drum  now  to  drum  did  groan  — 
To  hear  was  wonder ; 

1  Poitiers  and  Cressy :  two  famous  battles  fought  by  the  English  in 
Fiance  in  1351!  and  lo4ti,  in  both  of  which  the  English  gained  decisive 
victories.    The  French  pronunciation  of  Poitiers  is  nearly  Pwi'-te-a'. 

2  Grandsire  :  Edward  III.  of  England,  who  gained  the  victory  of  Cressy. 
lie  claimed  the  throne  of  France. 

3  Lilies :  the  lilies  or  fleur-de-lis  on  the  arms  of  France. 

4  Vaward  :  vanward,  front. 

5  Main :  main  body  of  troops.  According  to  some  early  accounts  Henry 
had  only  six  or  seven  thousand  soldiers  to  fifty  thousand  of  the  enemy. 

"Henchmen:  followers. 

7  Excester  (Exe  Cester  or  Exe  Chester;  meaning  the  fortified  place  on 
the  river  Exe,  in  Devonshire,  in  the  southwest  of  England,  the  modern 
Exeter) :  Sir  Thomas  Beaufort,  Duke  of  Exeter,  one  of  Henry's  chief  men. 


1G8  HEROIC    BALLADS. 

That  with  the  cries  they  make 
The  very  earth  did  shake ; 
Trumpet  to  trumpet  spake, 
Thunder  to  thunder. 

Well  it  thine  age  became, 
O  noble  Erpingham  ! 1 
Which  did  the  signal  aim 

To  our  hid  forces  ; 
When,  from  a  meadow  by, 
Like  a  storm  suddenly, 
The  English  archery 

Struck  the  French  horses, 

With  Spanish  yew  2  so  strong, 
Arrows  a  cloth-yard  long, 
That  like  to  serpents  stung, 

Piercing  the  weather  ; 3 
None  from  his  fellow  starts, 
But  playing  manly  parts, 
And  like  true  English  hearts, 

Stuck  close  together. 


'tr 


When  down  their  bows  they  threw. 
And  forth  their  bilbows4  drew, 
And  on  the  French  they  flew, 
Not  one  was  tardy : 

1  Erpingham :  Sir  Thomas  Erpingham  was  the  marshal  of  the  army. 
He  tossed  up  his  baton,  Bhouting,  "  Now  Btrike!  "  and  the  battle  began. 

-  Yew  :  the  best  bows  were  made  of  yew-tree  wood. 

3  Weather  :  the  withers  or  shoulders  of  a  horse. 

1  Bilbow:  a  kind  at  sword,  so  called,  it  is  said,  because  the  best  of  these 
weapons  were  made  in  Bilboa,  Spain. 


THE   BALLAD   OF   AGINCOURT.  1G9 

A  nns  were  from  shoulders  sent ; 
Scalps  to  the  teeth  were  rent ; 
Down  the  French  peasants  went ; 
Our  men  were  hardy.1 

This  while  our  noble  king, 
His  broadsword  brandishing, 
Down  the  French  host  did  ding,2 

As  to  o'erwhelm  it ; 
And  many  a  deep  wound  lent, 
His  arms  with  blood  besprent,3 
And  many  a  cruel  dent 

Bruised  his  helmet. 

Glo'ster,4  that  duke  so  good, 
Next  of  the  royal  blood, 
For  famous  England  stood, 

With  his  brave  brother  — 
Clarence,5  in  steel  so  bright, 
Though  but  a  maiden  knight,6 
Yet  in  that  furious  fight 

Scarce  such  another. 

Warwick 7  in  blood  did  wade  ; 
Oxford 8  the  foe  invade, 
And  cruel  slaughter  made, 
Still  as  they  ran  up. 

1  Hardy  :  brave,  daring. 

2  Ding:  strike.  Besprent:  bespattered. 

4  Glo'ster  :  the  Duke  of  Gloucester ;  a  younger  brother  of  King  Henry. 

5  Clarence  :  the  Duke  of  Clarence  ;  King  Henry's  eldest  brother. 
G  Maiden  knight :  one  who  had  not  had  experience  in  battle. 

7  Warwick  (pronounced  War'ick)  :  the  Earl  of  Warwick. 

8  Oxford:  the  Earl  of  Oxford. 


170  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

Suffolk  1  his  axe  2  did  ply  ; 
Beaumont3  and  Willoughby4 
Bare  5  them  right  doughtily,6 
Ferrers  7  and  Fanhope.7 

Upon  Saint  Crispin's8  day 
Fought  was  this  noble  fray, 
Which  fame  did  not  delay 

To  England  to  carry; 
Oh,  when  shall  Englishmen 
With  such  acts  fill  a  pen,9 
Or  England  breed  again 

Such  a  King  Harry  ? 

Michael  Dkayton. 

1  Suffolk:  the  Duke  of  Suffolk. 

2  Axe :  battle-axe. 

3  Beaumont :  Baron  Beaumont. 

4  Willoughby:  Lord  Willoughby,  a  distinguished  military  commander. 
:>  Bare  them:  bore  themselves,  conducted  themselves. 

>>  Doughtily :  valiantly. 

7  Ferrers  .  Fanhope :  neither  of  these  names  can  be  found  in  Tyler's 
Memoirs  of  Henry  V. 

*  Saint  Crispin's  day :  October  25.  See  Shakspeare's  "  Henry  V.,"  Act 
IV.  Scene  3. 

'•*  Fill  a  pen  :  fill  the  pages  of  history ;  employ  the  historian's  pen. 


THE    BONNETS   OF   BONNIE   DUNDEE.  171 


THE  BONNETS  OF  BONNIE  DUNDEE.1 


To  the  Lords  of  Convention2  'twas  Claverhouse  who 

spoke, 
"  Ere  the  king's  crown  3  shall  fall,  there  are  crowns  4  to 

be  broke ; 
So  let  each  cavalier  who  loves  honor  and  me 
Come  follow  the  bonnets  of  bonnie  Dundee  !  "  5 

Come  fill  up  my  cup,  come  fill  up  my  can  ; 
Come  saddle  your  horses,  and  call  up  your  men  ; 
Come  open  the  Westport6  and  let  us  gang1  free, 
And  it's  room  for  the  bonnets8  of  bonnie  Dundee! 

1  Bonnie  Dundee :  John  Graham  of  Claverhouse  —  hence  generally  called 
Claverhouse  —  was  created  Viscount  of  Dundee  in  1GS8  hy  James  II.  In 
the  previous  reign  Claverhouse  had  persecuted  the  Covenanters  of  Scotland 
with  remorseless  vigor  (see  note  1,  p.  82). 

After  the  revolution  in  England,  when  William  of  Orange  (William  III.) 
had  landed,  and  the  cowardly  James  II.  had  fled  from  London,  Claverhouse 
entered  Edinburgh  with  a  hody  of  troops.  His  intention  was  to  raise  a 
force  in  Scotland,  drive  out  William,  and  reinstate  James ;  finding,  however, 
that  the  feeling  in  Edinburgh  was  strongly  against  him,  he  suddenly  left 
that  city.  He  was  killed  in  the  battle  of  Killiecrankie  (1GS9),  fighting  in 
behalf  of  the  lost  cause  of  the  unworthy  King  James.  Claverhouse  was  a 
man  of  wonderful  dash  and  courage,  but  one  who  in  the  name  of  loyalty 
perpetrated  such  horrible  cruelties  that  he  fully  earned  the  name  the  country 
people  gave  him  of  "  Bloody  Claver'se." 

2  Lords  of  Convention :  the  Scottish  Parliament  assembled  in  Edinburgh 
March,  1G89.  They  later  declared  that  James  II.  had  forfeited  the  crown, 
and  finally  declared  William  (William  III.)  and  Mary  king  and  queen. 

3  King's  crown :  the  crown  of  James  II.  *  Crowns  :  heads. 

5  Dundee :  Claverhouse,  Viscount  of  Dundee. 

6  Westport:  the  western  gate  of  the  city  of  Edinburgh;  it  was  then  a 
walled  town.  7  Gang:  go.  8  Bonnets  :  Scotch  caps. 


1~2  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

Dundee  he  is  mounted,  lie  rides  up  the  street, 

The  bells  arc  rung  backward,1  the  drums  they  are  beat; 

But    the    provost,  douce2   man,   said,   "Just    e'en3   let 

hi  111  be, 
The  gude  toun  4  is  well  quit 5  of  that  deil G  of  Dundee  ! " 

As  he  rode  doun7  the  sanctified  bends8  of  the  Bow,9 
Ilk  carline  1()  was  flyting11  and  shaking  her  pow  ; 12 
But  the  young  plants  of  grace13  they  looked  cowthie  14 

and  sice,1" 
Thinking,  Luck  to  thy  bonnet,  thou  bonnie  Dundee ! 

Willi    sour-featured    whigs 1G    the    Grass-Market 17    was 

thranged,18 
As  if  half  the  west  had  set  tryst 19  to  be  hanged ; 
There  was  spite  in  each  look,  there  was  fear  in  each  ee,20 
As  they  watched  for  the  bonnets  of  bonnie  Dundee. 

1  Runs;  backward  :  to  give  the  alarm. 

-  Douce  :  sedate,  grave.        s  E'en:  even.        4  Gude  toun  :  good  town. 

"Quit:  rid.  °  Deil :  devil.        "Doun:  down. 

s  Sanctified  bends:  because  in  a  hall  in  How  street  the  Scottish  Church 
formerly  held  its  annual  assembly. 

'•'  Bow:  or  the  West  Bow  ;  the  name  of  a  street  in  Edinburgh.  It  got  its 
name  from  a  bend  in  the  city  wall.  ln  Ilk  carline:  every  old  woman. 

11  Flyting:  Bcolding,  brawling.  12Pow:  bead. 

13  Young  plants  of  grace:  the  Scottish  maidens. 

11  Cowthie:  kindly,  lovingly.  lfi  Slee:  sly. 

"■Whigs:  those  who  favored  William  III.  Scott  was  a  strong  tory,  or 
conservative,  ami  hence  the  expression  "sour-featured"  applied  to  the 
\\Iul;s.  though,  as  many  if  not  most  of  them  wire  Covenanters  and  very 
austere,  they  may  have  justified  the  use  of  the  phrase  by  their  looks. 

17  Grass-Market :  a  famous  square  in  Edinburgh  where  executions  for- 
merly took  place.  18  Thranged:  thronged. 

'Half  the  west  had  set  tryst:  the  covenanting  whigs  were  espe- 
cially strong  in  certain  parts  of  the  West.     "  To  set  tryst  "  is  to  make  an 

-"  Ee :  eye. 


THE    BONNETS   OF   BONNIE   DUNDEE.  173 

These    cowls 1   of    Kilmarnock 2  had    spits 3    and    had 

spears, 
And  lang-hafted  4  gullies  5  to  kill  cavaliers  ; 
But  they  shrunk  to  close-heads,6  and  the  causeway7  was 

free 
At  the  toss  of  the  bonnet  of  bonnie  Dundee. 

He  spurred  to  the  foot  of  the  proud  castle  rock,8 

And  with  the  gay  Gordon  9  he  gallantly  spoke : 

"  Let  Mons  Meg 10  and  her  marrows  n  speak  twa  n  words 

or  three, 
For  the  love  of  the  bonnet  of  bonnie  Dundee." 

» 

The  Gordon  demands  of  him  which  way  he  goes. 
"  Where'er  shall  direct  me  the  shade  13  of  Montrose  !  M 
Your  grace 15  in  short  space  shall  hear  tidings  of  me, 
Or  that  low  lies  the  bonnet  of  bonnie  Dundee. 


1  Cowls:  literally,  hoods  worn  hy  monks;  here,  however,  the  word  is  used 
to  ridicule  the  Protestant  Covenanters,  or  Puritan  monks,  as  Scott  would 
call  them. 

2  Kilmarnock :  the  chief  town  of  Ayre,  in  the  west  of  Scotland,  where 
the  "  sour-faced  whigs  "  were  numerous. 

3  Spits :  long  sharp-pointed  hars  of  iron  on  which  it  was  formerly  the 
custom  to  roast  meat. 

4  Lang-hafted :  long-handled.  5  Gullies  :  large  knives. 
6  Close-heads:  close  together.  T  Causeway:  the  street. 

8  Castle  rock:  a  high,  precipitous  rock  on  which  stands  the  castle  of 
Edinhurgh. 

9  Gordon  :  the  Duke  of  Gordon,  who  held  the  castle  for  King  James,  and 
was  therefore  friendly  to  Claverhouse. 

10  Mons  Meg:  an  immense  cannon  within  the  walls  of  the  castle. 

11  Marrows  :  companions ;  the  other  cannon  of  the  castle. 

12  Twa :  two.  Vi  Shade  :  ghost  or  spirit. 
14  Montrose :  see  note  1,  p.  87. 

is  Grace :  a  title  given  to  a  duke. 


174  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

"  There  are  hills  beyond   Pentland 1  and  lands  beyond 

Forth;2 
If  there's  lords  in  the  lowlands,3  there's  chiefs4  in  the 

north ; 
There  are  wild  Duniewassals  5  three  thousand  times  three 
Will  cry  '  Hoigh  ! '  for  the  bonnet  of  bonnie  Dundee. 

"  There's  brass  on  the  target 6  of  barkened '  bull-hide, 
There's  steel  in  the  scabbard  that  dangles  beside ; 
The  brass  shall  be  burnished,  the  steel  shall  Hash  free, 
At  a  toss  of  the  bonnet  of  bonnie  Dundee. 

"  Away  to  the  hills,  to  the  caves,  to  the  rocks, 
Ere  I  own  an  usurper  I'll  couch8  with  the  fox  : 
And  tremble,  false  whigs,  in  the  midst  of  your  glee, 
You  have  not  seen  the  last  of  my  bonnet  and  me." 

lie  waved  his  proud  hand,  and  the  trumpets  were  blown, 
The  kettle-drums  clashed,  and  the  horsemen  rode  on, 
Till  on  Ravelston's  cliffs9  and  on  Clermiston's  lea10 
Died  away  the  wild  war-notes  of  bonnie  Dundee. 

Come  fill  up  my  cup,  come  fill  up  my  can, 

Come  saddle  the  horses,  and  call  up  the  men  ; 

Come  open  your  doors  and  let  me  gaefree, 

For  it's  up  with  (he  bonnets  of  bonnie  Dundee. 

Sir  Walter  Scott. 

1  Pentland:  the  Pentland  Hills  on  the  south  of  Edinburgh  County. 

-  Forth:  an  arm  of  the  sea,  the  F"i rtli  of  Forth.  ('laverhouse  means  that 
Edinburgh  does  not  represent  all  Scotland,  and  that  he  will  seek  aid  else- 
when — especially  in  the  Highlands. 

3  Lowlands:    the  lords  in  the  Lowlands  were  favorahle  to  William  III. 

4  Chiefs :  Highland  chiefs  who  were  friendly  to  King  James. 

r>  Duniewassals :  Highland  chiefs  or  noblemen  and  their  principal 
followers.      ''Target:  a  shield.       7  Barkened:  hardened.       8  Couch:  hide. 

'•'  Eavelston's  cliffs  and  Clermiston's  lea:  places  in  the  vicinity  of 
Edinburgh.  ^'Lea:  a  meadow. 


THE   DESTRUCTION   OF    SENNACHERIB.  175 


THE  DESTRUCTION  OF  SENNACHERIB.1 


The  Assyrian  came  down  like  the  wolf  on  the  fold,2 
And  his  cohorts  3  were  gleaming  in  purple  and  gold ; 
And  the  sheen 4  of  their  spears  was  like  stars  on  the  sea, 
When  the  blue  wave  rolls  nightly  on  deep  Galilee. 

Like  the  leaves  of  the  forest  when  summer  is  green, 
That  host  with  their  banners  at  sunset  were  seen ; 
Like  the  leaves  of  the  forest  when  autumn  hath  flown, 
That  host  on  the  morrow  lay  withered  and  strown. 

For  the  angel  of  death  spread  his  wings  on  the  blast, 
And  breathed  in  the  face  of  the  foe  as  he  passed ; 
And  the  eyes  of  the  sleepers  waxed  deadly  and  chill, 
And  their  hearts  but  once  heaved,  and  for  ever  grew 
still ! 

And  there  lay  the  steed  with  his  nostril  all  wide, 
But  through  it  there  rolled  not  the  breath  of  his  pride ; 
And  the  foam  of  his  gasping  lay  white  on  the  turf, 
And  cold  as  the  spray  of  the  rock-beating  surf. 

1  Sennacherib  (Sen-nak'er-ib),king  of  Assyria,  marched  on  Libnah  and 
Lachish,  two  frontier  towns  of  Egypt,  about  699  B.C.,  to  punish  them  for 
the  aid  they  had  given  or  promised  to  Hezekiah,  king  of  Judah,  who  had 
revolted  against  the  authority  of  the  Assyrian  monarch.  For  what  befell 
Sennacherib  and  his  host,  see  2  Kings  xix. 

2  Fold  :  a  pen  or  enclosure  for  sheep,  and  hence  the  sheep  thus  enclosed. 

3  Cohorts  :  a  body  of  troops. 

4  Sheen :  brightness,  splendor. 


17G  HEROIC    BALLADS. 

And  there  lay  the  rider  distorted  and  pale, 
With  the  dew  on  his  brow  and  the  rust  on  his  mail ; 
And  the  tents  were  all  silent,  the  banners  alone, 
The  lances  unlifted,  the  trumpet  unblown. 

And  the  widows  of  Ashur 1  are  loud  in  their  wail ; 
And  the  idols  are  broke  in  the  temple  of  Baal ; 2 
And  the  might  of  the  Gentile,3  unsmote  by  the  sword, 
Hath  melted  like  snow  in  the  glance  of  the  Lord  ! 

Lord  Bvron. 

1  Ashur  :  or  Asshur  ;  the  same  as  Assyria. 

2  Baal  (Ba'al)  :  a  heathen  god,  represented  by  the  sun  or  some  heavenly 
body,  worshipped  by  the  Assyrians. 

3  Gentile  •  the  heathen;  those  who  did  not  worship  the  God  of  the  Jews. 


INCIDENT   OF   THE   FRENCH   CAMP.  177 


INCIDENT   OF   THE   FRENCH   CAMP.1 


You  know  we  French  stormed  Ilatisbon  :  2 

A  mile  or  so  away, 
On  a  little  mound,  Napoleon 

Stood  on  our  storming-day  ; 
With  neck  out-thrust,  you  fancy  how, 

Legs  wide,  arms  locked  behind, 
As  if  to  balance  the  prone  3  brow, 

Oppressive  with  its  mind. 

Just  as  perhaps  he  mused,  "  My  plans 

That  soar,  to  earth  may  fall, 
Let  once  my  army-leader  Lannes  4 

Waver  at  yonder  wall,"  — 
Out  'twixt  the  battery-smokes  there  flew 

A  rider,  bound  on  bound 
Full-galloping ;  nor  bridle  drew 

Until  he  reached  the  mound. 

i  In  1809  Napoleon  began  a  victorious  campaign  against  Austria.  On 
his  march  against  Vienna,  the  Austrian  capital,  he  stormed  and  carried  the 
walled  city  of  Rat'isbon,  in  Bavaria,  on  the  Danube.  A  soldier  (here  repre- 
sented as  a  boy)  received  his  death-wound  in  planting  the  French  flag 
within  the  walls  of  the  captured  town.  Though  dying,  he  gallops  out  to 
the  emperor  —  a  mile  or  two  away  —  to  announce  the  victory. 

2Ratisbon:  a  city  of  Bavaria,  on  the  Danube,  on  the  route  to  Vienna. 
The  place  is  walled,  and  a  breach  had  to  be  battered  by  cannon  in  order  to 
take  the  town.       3  Prone:  bent  forward;  but  here,  apparently,  prominent. 

4  Lannes  (Lan)  :  Marshal  Lannes,  one  of  Napoleon's  generals.  He  led 
the  attack  at  Ratisbon. 


178  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

Then  off  there  flung-  in  smiling  joy, 

And  held  himself  erect 
By  just  his  horse's  mane,  a  boy : 

You  hardly  could  suspect  — 
(So  tight  he  kept  his  lips  compressed, 

Scarce  any  blood  came  through) 
You  looked  twice  ere  you  saw  his  breast 

Was  all  but  shot  in  two. 

"  Well,"  cried  he,  "  Emperor,  by  God's  grace 

We've  got  you  Ratisbon  ! 
The  marshal's  in  the  market-place, 

And  you'll  be  there  anon 1 
To  see  your  flag-bird  2  flap  his  vans  3 

Where  I,  to  heart's  desire, 
Perched  him  !  "     The  chief's  eye  flashed ;  his  plans 

Soared  up  again  like  fire. 

The  chief's  eye  flashed;  but  presently 

Softened  itself,  as  sheathes 
A  film  the  mother  eagle's  eye 

When  her  bruised  eaglet  breathes  ; 
"  You're  wounded  !  "     "  Nay,"  his  soldier's  pride 

Touched  to  the  quick,  he  said: 

"  Fm  killed,  sire !  "     And,  his  chief  beside, 

Smiling,  the  boy  fell  dead.4 

ItonKitT  Browning. 

1  Anon :  presently. 

2  Flag-bird:  the  eagle  on  the  French  flag.  3  Vans  :  wings. 

4  Fell  dead:  a  similar  incident  occurred  at  the  Battle  of  Gettysburg,  1863. 

An  officer  of  the  Sixth  Wisconsin  approached  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Dawes,  the  commander  of  the  regiment,  after  the  sharp  right  in  the  rail- 
road cut.  The  colonel  supposed,  from  the  firm  and  erect  attitude  of  the 
man,  that  he  came  to  report  for  orders  of  some  kind  ;  but  the  compressed 
lips  told  a  different  story.  With  a  great  effort  the  officer  said,  '  Tell  them 
at  home  I  ili><l  like  ><  man  and  a  soldier.'  He  threw  open  his  coat,  dis- 
played a  ghastly  wound,  and  dropped  dead  at  the  colonel's  feet. —  Chaiv- 
cellorsville  and  Gclti/sburr/,  by  Mujor-Gcn:ral  Doubleday. 


YE   MA1UNERS   OF   ENGLAND.  179 


YE   MARINERS    OF   ENGLAND. 


Ye  mariners  of  England, 

That  guard  our  native  seas, 
Whose  flag  has  braved,  a  thousand  years, 

The  battle  and  the  breeze, 
Your  glorious  standard  launch  again, 

To  match  another  foe  ! 
And  sweep  through  the  deep 

While  the  stormy  winds  do  blow  — 
While  the  battle  rages  loud  and  long, 

And  the  stormy  winds  do  blow. 

The  spirits  of  your  fathers 

Shall  start  from  every  wave  ! 
For  the  deck  it  was  their  field  of  fame, 

And  ocean  was  their  grave. 
Where  Blake  1  and  mighty  Nelson  2  fell 

Your  manly  hearts  shall  glow, 
As  ye  sweep  through  the  deep 

1  Blake :  a  distinguished  English  admiral  (1599-1657).  "He  is  con- 
sidered as  the  founder  of  the  naval  supremacy  of  England."  His  great 
hattles  were  with  the  Dutch  and  the  Spanish. 

2  Nelson:  Southey  calls  Lord  Nelson  (1758-1805)  "  the  greatest  naval 
hero  of  our  own  and  of  all  former  times."  He  won  the  battle  of  the  Nile 
over  Napoleon,  battle  of  the  Baltic,  and  the  great  and  decisive  battle  of 
Trafalgar,  which  destroyed  Napoleon's  combined  French  and  Spanish  fleets 
and  made  "  England  mistress  of  the  seas."  In  this  last  engagement  (1805) 
Nelson  was  mortally  wounded. 


180  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

While  the  stormy  winds  do  blow  — 
While  the  battle  rages  loud  and  long, 
And  the  stormy  winds  do  blow. 

Britannia x  needs  no  bulwarks, 

No  towers  along  the  steep  ; 
Her  march  is  o'er  the  mountain-wave, 

Her  home  is  on  the  deep. 
With  thunders  from  her  native  oak  2 

She  quells  the  floods  below, 
As  they  roar  on  the  shore 

When  the  stormy  winds  do  blow  — 
When  the  battle  rages  loud  and  long, 

And  the  stormy  winds  do  blow. 

The  meteor  3  flag  of  England 

Shall  yet  terrific  burn, 
Till  danger's  troubled  night  depart, 

And  the  star  of  peace  return. 
Then,  then,  ye  ocean-warriors  ! 

Our  soncr  and  feast  shall  flow 
To  the  fame  of  your  name, 

When  the  storm  has  ceased  to  blow  — 
When  the  fiery  fight  is  heard  no  more, 

And  the  storm  has  ceased  to  blow. 

Thomas  Campbell. 

1  Britannia :  the  Roman  or  Latin  name  of  Britain. 
-  Oak:  formerly  all  men-of-war  were  built  of  oak. 

•'Meteor:  bo  called  from  its  bright,  fiery  red.    Milton  uses  the  same 
expression,  "  The  imperial  ensign  .  .  .  shone  like  a  meteor." 


BATTLE  OF  THE  BALTIC.  181 


BATTLE   OF   THE   BALTIC.1 


Of  Nelson  2  and  the  north 

Sing  the  glorious  clay's  renown, 
When  to  battle  fierce  came  forth 

All  the  might  of  Denmark's  crown, 
And  her  arms  along  the  deep  proudly  shone; 

By  each  gun  the  lighted  brand 

In  a  bold,  determined  hand, 

And  the  prince  of  all  the  land 
Led  them  on. 

Like  leviathans  3  afloat 

Lay  their  bulwarks  on  the  brine ; 
While  the  sign  of  battle  flew 

On  the  lofty  British  line  — 
It  was  ten  of  April  morn  by  the  chime. 

As  they  drifted  on  their  path 

There  was  silence  deep  as  death ; 

And  the  boldest  held  his  breath 
For  a  time. 

1  Battle  of  the  Baltic  :  during  the  wars  with  Napoleon,  England  claimed 
the  right  to  search  all  neutral  vessels,  the  object  being  to  prevent  trade 
with  France. 

In  1800  Russia,  Denmark,  and  Sweden  entered  into  a  treaty  or  coalition 
known  as  the  "  Second  Armed  Neutrality  "  to  resist  England's  claim. 

In  1801  the  "Battle  of  the  Baltic  "  was  fought,  in  which  Nelson  bom- 
barded Copenhagen,  destroyed  a  great  part  of  the  Danish  fleet,  and  gained 
such  a  victory  that,  with  the  death  of  the  Czar,  which  shortly  after  fol- 
lowed, the  coalition  was  broken  up. 

-  Nelson :  see  note  2,  p.  179.  3  Leviathans  :  sea-monsters. 


182  HEROIC   BALLADS. 


But  the  might  of  England  Hushed 


To  anticipate  the  scene  ; 
And  her  van  the  fleeter  rushed 

O'er  the  deadly  space  between. 
"  Hearts  of  oak  !  "  our  captain  cried  ;  when  each  gun 

From  its  adamantine  1  lips 

Spread  a  death-shade  round  the  ships, 

Like  the  hurricane  eclipse 
Of  the  sun. 

Again !  again  !  again  ! 

And  the  havoc  did  not  slack, 
Till  a  feeble  cheer  the  Dane 

To  our  cheering  sent  us  back ; 
Their  shots  along  the  deep  slowly  boom  — 

Then  ceased  —  and  all  is  wail, 

As  they  strike  the  shattered  sail, 

Or  in  conflagration  pale, 
Light  the  gloom. 

Out  spoke  the  victor  then, 

As  he  hailed  them  o'er  the  wave : 
"  Ye  are  brothers  !  ye  are  men  ! 

And  we  conquer  but  to  save  ; 
So  peace  instead  of  death  let  us  bring ; 

But  yield,  proud  foe,  thy  fleet, 

With  the  crews,  at  England's  feet, 

And  make  submission  meet 
To  our  kino-." 

Then  Denmark  blessed  our  chief, 
That  he  gave  her  wounds  repose  ; 

1  Adamantine  :  which  cannot  be  broken. 


BATTLE  OF  THE  BALTIC.  183 

And  the  sounds  of  joy  and  grief 

From  her  people  wildly  rose, 
As  death  withdrew  his  shades  from  the  day. 

While  the  sun  looked  smiling  bright 

O'er  a  wide  and  woeful  sight, 

Where  the  fires  of  funeral  light 
Died  away. 

Now  joy,  old  England,  raise  ! 

For  the  tidings  of  thy  might, 
By  the  festal  cities'  blaze, 

Whilst  the  wine-cup  shines  in  light ; 
And  yet,  amidst  that  joy  and  uproar, 

Let  us  think  of  them  that  sleep 

Full  many  a  fathom  deep, 
,  By  thy  wild  and  stormy  steep, 
Elsinore ! * 

Brave  hearts  !  to  Britain's  pride 

Once  so  faithful  and  so  true, 
On  the  deck  of  fame  that  died, 

With  the  gallant,  good  Riou2  — 
Soft  sigh  the  winds  of  heaven  o'er  their  grave  ! 

While  the  billow  mournful  rolls, 

And  the  mermaid's  song  condoles, 

Singing  glory  to  the  souls 
Of  the  brave ! 

TuOiMAS  Campbell. 

1  Elsinore:  a  town  of  Denmark,  north  of  Copenhagen,  on  the  sound 
where  the  battle  was  fought. 

2  Riou  (RT-oo) :  Captain  Riou  of  the  English  forces.   He  was  killed  in 
the  battle. 


184  HEROIC   BALLADS. 


GEORGE   NIDIVER. 


Men  have  done  brave  deeds, 

And  bards  1  have  sung  them  well  ; 

I  of  good  George  Nidiver 
Now  the  tale  will  tell. 

In  Calif ornian  mountains 

A  hunter  bold  was  he  ; 
Keen  his  eye  and  sure  his  aim 

As  any  you  should  see. 

A  little  Indian  boy 

Followed  him  everywhere, 
Eager  to  share  the  hunter's  joy, 

The  hunter's  meal  to  share. 

And  when  the  bird  or  deer 

Fell  by  the  hunter's  skill, 
The  boy  was  always  near 

To  help  with  right  good-will. 

One  day  as  through  the  cleft 
Between  two  mountains  steep, 

Shut  in  both  right  and  left, 

Their  questing2  way  they  keep, 

1  Bards  :  poets. 

2  Questing  :  litre,  roving  or  searching  for  game. 


GEORGE   NID1VER.  185 

They  see  two  grizzly  bears, 

With  hunger  fierce  and  fell, 
Rush  at  them  unawares 

Right  down  the  narrow  dell.1 

The  boy  turned  round  with  screams, 

And  ran  with  terror  wild ; 
One  of  the  pair  of  savage  beasts 

Pursued  the  shrieking  child. 

The  hunter  raised  his  gun, 

He  knew  one  charge  was  all, 
And  through  the  boy's  pursuing  foe 

He  sent  his  only  ball. 

The  other  on  George  Nidiver 

Came  on  with  dreadful  pace ; 
The  hunter  stood  unarmed, 

And  met  him  face  to  face. 

I  say  unarmed  he  stood ; 

Against  those  frightful  paws, 
The  rifle-butt,  or  club  of  wood, 

Could  stand  no  more  than  straws. 

George  Nidiver  stood  still, 

And  looked  him  in  the  face ; 
The  wild  beast  stopped  amazed, 

Then  came  with  slackening  pace. 

Still  firm  the  hunter  stood, 

Although  his  heart  beat  high  ; 
Again  the  creature  stopped, 

And  gazed  with  wondering  eye. 

i  Dell :  a  narrow  valley,  a  ravine. 


186  HEBOIC   BALLADS. 

The  hunter  met  his  gaze, 

Nor  yet  an  inch  gave  way ; 
The  bear  turned  slowly  round, 

And  slowly  moved  away. 

What  thoughts  were  in  his  mind 

It  would  be  hard  to  spell ; 1 
What  thoughts  were  in  George  Nidiver 

I  rather  guess  than  tell. 

But  sure  that  rifle's  aim, 

Swift  choice  of  generous  part, 

Showed  in  its  passing  gleam 
The  depths  of  a  brave  heart. 

Anonymous. 

1  Speil :  tell. 


SHAN   VAN   VOCHT.  187 


SHAN   VAN   VOCIIT.1 


The  sainted  isle  of  old, 

Says  the  Shan  Van  Vocht, 
The  parent  and  the  mould 
Of  the  beautiful  and  bold, 
Has  her  sainted  heart  waxed  cold  ? 

Says  the  Shan  Van  Vocht. 

Oh  !  the  French  are  on  the  say,2 

Says  the  Shan  Van  Vocht ; 
The  French  are  on  the  say, 

Says  the  Shan  Van  Vocht. 
Oh !  the  French  are  in  the  bay  ;  3 

1  Shan  Van  Vocht :  an  Irish  phrase  meaning  the  Poor  Old  Woman  ;  here 
personifying  Ireland.  The  song  was  written  just  before  the  Irish  rebellion 
of  1798. 

Before  the  union  of  Ireland  with  Great  Britain  in  1800  that  country  was 
governed,  or  rather  misgoverned,  by  a  national  parliament  largely  under 
the  control  of  the  English  and  of  those  whom  the  English  had  bought  up. 

From  this  parliament  all  Irish  Catholics  were  rigidly  excluded,  and  this 
contributed  in  no  small  degree  to  intensify  the  hatred  not  only  of  England, 
but  of  the  Orangemen,  or  Irish  Protestants,  and  allies  of  England  in  the 
North. 

At  the  time  the  song  was  written,  the  United  Irishmen  —  a  strong  body 
of  Catholics  pledged  to  reform  —  were  expecting  the  French  to  land  a  force 
on  the  shores  of  Bantry  Bay  and  aid  them  in  a  desperate  attempt  to  secure 
liberty  for  their  country.  The  attempt  ended  in  disastrous  failure,  but  the 
"  Shan  Van  Vocht "  hopes  yet,  through  the  influence  of  Mr.  Gladstone  and 
his  party,  to  obtain  the  rights  which  have  been  so  long  and  so  unjustly 
withheld  from  her.  -  Say:  sea. 

3  Bay:  Bantry  Bay,  on  the  south  of  Ireland,  county  of  Cork. 


188  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

They'll  be  here  without  delay, 
And  the  Orange  *  will  decay, 
Says  the  Shan  Van  Vocht. 

Oh !  the  French  are  in  the  bat/, 
They'll  be  here  by  break  of  day, 
And  the  Orange  iv'dl  decay, 
Says  the  Shan  Van  Vocht. 

And  where  will  they  have  their  camp  ? 

Says  the  Shan  Van  Vocht ; 
Where  will  they  have  their  camp  ? 

Says  the  Shan  Van  Vocht. 
On  the  Currach  of  Kildare  ; 2 
The  boys  they  will  be  there 
"With  their  pikes  3  in  good  repair, 
Says  the  Shan  Van  Vocht. 
To  the  Currach  of  Kildare 
The  boys  they  will  repair, 
And  Lord  Edward*-  will  be  there, 
Says  the  Shan  Van  Vocht. 

Then  what  will  the  yeomen  do? 

Says  the  Shan  Van  Vocht; 
What  will  the  yeomen  do? 

Says  the  Shan  Van  Vocht. 
What  should  the  yeomen  do, 

1  The  Orange:  the  Orange  organization  in  the  North. 
-  Currach  of  Kildare:  the  plain  of  Kildare  in  the  county  of  that  name, 
west  of  Dublin.     It  was  ;i  noted  place  for  military  gatherings. 

3  Pikes  :  spear-like  weapons. 

4  Lord  Edward:  Lord  Edward  Fitzgerald,  a  younger  son  of  the  Duke  of 
Leinster,  and  a  leader  in  the  cause  of  Catholic  emancipation.  Ho  was 
arrested  for  plotting  the  insurrection  of  17U8  and  died  in  prisou. 


SHAN    VAN   VOCIIT.  189 

But  throw  off  the  red  and  blue,1 
And  swear  that  they'll  be  true 
To  the  Shan  Van  Vocht  ? 
What  should  the  yeomen  do, 
But  throw  off  the  red  and  blue, 
And  sivear  that  they'll  be  true 
To  the  Shan  Van  Vocht? 

And  what  color  will  they  wear  ? 

Says  the  Shan  Van  Vocht ; 
What  color  will  they  wear  ? 
Says  the  Shan  Van  Vocht. 
What  color  should  be  seen, 
Where  our  fathers'  homes  have  been, 
But  our  own  immortal  green?2 
Says  the  Shan  Van  Vocht. 
What  color  should  be  seen, 
Where  our  fatliers'  homes  have  been, 
But  our  oivn  immortal  green? 
Says  the  Shan  Van  Vocht. 

1  The  red  and  blue :  the  English  colors. 

2  Green :  the  Irish  national  color  —  the  shamrock,  or-clover. 

The  favorite  Irish  song,  "The  wearin'  o'  the  Green,"  well  expresses  the 
Irishman's  intense  love  of  that  color. 

"  Then  take  the  shamrock  from  your  hat 
And  fling  it  on  the  sod, 
And  never  fear,  'twill  take  root  there 
Tho'  under  foot  'tis  trod. 
When  law  can  stop  the  blades  of  grass 
From  growing  as  they  grow, 
And  when  the  leaves  in  summer  time 
Their  color  cease  to  show, 
Oh!  then  I'll  change  the  favor* 
That  I  wear  in  my  cawbeen;  f 
But  till  that  time,  please  God,  I'll  stick 
To  wearin'  o'  the  green." 

*  Favor:  here  a  token  or  badge  of  loyalty  to  one's  native  land. 
t  Cawbeeu  :  hat. 


190  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

And  will  Ireland  then  be  free  ? 

Says  the  Shan  Van  Vocht ; 
Will  Ireland  then  be  free? 

Says  the  Shan  Van  Vocht. 
Yes  !  Ireland  shall  be  free, 
From  the  centre  to  the  sea  ; 
Then  hurrah  for  liberty  ! 
Says  the  Shan  Van  Vocht. 
Yes!  Ireland  shall  be  free, 
From  the  centre  to  the  sea  ; 
Then  hurrah  for  liberty! 
Says  the  Shan  Van  Vocht. 


Anonymous. 


HOW  THEY  BROUGHT  THE  GOOD  NEWS.  191 


HOW   THEY   BROUGHT   THE    GOOD   NEWS 
FROM   GHENT   TO   AIX.1 


I  SPRANG  to  the  stirrup,  and  Joris  and  he : 
I  galloped,  Dirck  galloped,  we  galloped  all  three  ; 
"  Good  speed ! "  cried  the  watch  as  the  gate-bolts  un- 
drew, 
"  Speed ! "  echoed  the  wall  to  us  galloping  through, 
Behind  shut  the  postern,2  the  lights  sank  to  rest, 
And  into  the  midnight  we  galloped  abreast. 

Not  a  word  to  each  other ;  we  kept  the  great  pace  — 
Neck   by   neck,   stride   by  stride,  never  changing  our 

place ; 
I  turned  in  my  saddle  and  made  its  girths  tight, 
Then  shortened  each  stirrup  and  set  the  pique  3  right, 
Rebuckled  the  check-strap,  chained  slacker  the  bit, 
Nor  galloped  less  steadily  Roland  a  whit. 

'Twas  a  moonset  at  starting ;  but  while  we  drew  near 
Lokeren,  the  cocks  crew  and  twilight  dawned  clear  ; 

1  This  is  said  to  be  a  purely  imaginary  poem.  Aix  (Aks),  a  town  of 
Rhenish  Prussia,  is  in  peril,  but  may  be  saved  if  certain  "good  news "  can 
be  carried  to  it  without  delay.  Three  horsemen  start  on  a  gallop  from 
Ghent  (Ghent,  G  hard),  in  Belgium,  over  a  hundred  miles  away,  to  an- 
nounce the  glad  tidings. 

One  rider  of  the  three  succeeds  in  reaching  the  city. 

2  Postern  :  a  small  gate. 

3  Pique  (peek)  :  the  point  or  pommel  of  the  saddle. 


192  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

At  Boom  a  great  yellow  star  came  out  to  see ; 

At  Diiffeld  'twas  morning  as  plain  as  could  be ; 

And   from  Mecheln  church-steeple  we  heard  the  half 

chime  — 
So  Joris  broke  silence  with  "  Yet  there  is  time  ! " 

At  Aerschot  up  leaped  of  a  sudden  the  sun, 
And  against  him  the  cattle  stood  black  every  one, 
To  stare  through  the  mist  at  us  galloping  past ; 
And  I  saw  my  stout  galloper  Roland  at  last, 
With  resolute  shoulders,  each  butting  away 
The  haze,  as  some  bluff  river  headland  its  spray ; 

And  his  low  head  and  crest,  just  one  sharp  ear  bent  back 
For  my  voice,  and  the  other  pricked  out  on  his  track ; 
And  one  eye's  black  intelligence,  —  ever  that  glance 
O'er  its  white  edge  at  me,  his  own  master,  askance  ; 
And  the  thick  heavy  spume-flakes,1  which  aye  and  anon 
His  fierce  lips  shook  upward  in  galloping  on. 

By  Hasselt  Dirck  groaned  ;  and  cried  Joris,  "  Stay  spur ! 
Your  Roos  galloped  bravely,  the  fault's  not  in  her ; 
We'll  remember  at  Aix" — for  one   heard  the  quick 

wheeze 
Of  her  chest,  saw  the  stretched   neck,  and  staggering 

knees, 
And  sunk  tail,  and  horrible  heave  of  the  flank, 
As  down  on  her  haunches  she  shuddered  and  sank. 

So  we  were  left  galloping,  Joris  and  I, 

Past  Looz  and  past  Tongres,  no  cloud  in  the  sky ; 

1  Spume-flakes  :  foam-flakes. 


HOW  THEY  BROUGHT  THE  GOOD  NEWS.  193 

The  broad  sun  above  laughed  a  pitiless  laugh ; 

'Neath  our  feet   broke    the  brittle,  bright  stubble  like 

chaff ; 
Till  over  by  Dalhem  a  dome-spire  sprang  white, 
And  "  Gallop,"  gasped  Joris,  "for  Aix  is  in  sight!  " 

"  How  they'll  greet  us  !  "  —  and  all  in  a  moment  his  roan 
Rolled  neck  and  croup 1  over,  lay  dead  as  a  stone  ; 
And  there  was  my  Roland  to  bear  the  whole  weight 
Of  the  news  which  alone  could  save  Aix  from  her  fate, 
With  his  nostrils  like  pits  full  of  blood  to  the  brim, 
And  with  circles  of  red  for  his  eye-sockets'  rim. 

Then  I  cast  loose  my  buff-coat,2  each  holster  3  let  fall, 
Shook  off  both  my  jack-boots  4  let  go  belt  and  all, 
Stood  up  in  the  stirrup,  leaned,  patted  his  ear, 
Called   my    Roland   his   pet-name,   my   horse   without 

peer  — 
Clapped  my  hands,  laughed  and  sung,  any  noise,  bad  or 

good, 

Till  at  length  into  Aix  Roland  galloped  and  stood. 

*. 

And  all  I  remember  is  friends  flocking  round, 

As  I  sate  with  his  head  'twixt  my  knees  on  the  ground ; 

And  no  voice  but  was  praising  this  Roland  of  mine, 

As  I  poured  down  his  throat  our  last  measure  of  wine, 

Which  (the  burgesses  5  voted  by  common  consent) 

Was  no  more  than  his  due  who  brought  good  news  from 

Ghent. 

Robert  Browning. 

1  Croup  :  rump.  2  Buff-coat :  a  leather  coat. 

3  Holster :  a  leather  case  for  holding  a  horse-pistol. 

4  Jack-boots  :  large,  heavy  boots  coming  up  above  the  knee. 
0  Burgesses  :  the  citizens,  those  who  had  a  right  to  vote. 


194  HEROIC    BALLADS. 


•    BATTLE-IIYMN  OF  THE  REPUBLIC. 


Mcste  eyes  have  seen  the  glory  of  the  coming  of   the 

Lord ; 
He  is  trampling  out  the  vintage  where  the  grapes  of 

wrath  are  stored, 
He  hath  loosed  the  fateful  lightning  of  his  terrible  swift 

sword ; 
His  truth  is  marching  on. 

I  have  seen  him  in  the  watch-fires  of  a  hundred  circling 

camps ; 
They  have  builded  him  an  altar  in  the  evening  dews  and 

damps, 
I  have  read  his  righteous  sentence  by  the  dim  and  flaring 

lamps ; 
His  day  is  marching  on. 

I  have  read  a  fiery  gospel  writ  in  burnished  rows  of  steel ; 
"  As  ye  deal  with  my  contemners,  so  with  you  my  grace 

shall  deal : 
Let  the  hero  born  of  woman  crush  the  serpent  with  his 
heel, 
Since  God  is  marching  on." 

He  has  sounded  forth  the  trumpet  that  shall  never  call 
retreat ; 


BATTLE-HYMN  OF  THE  REPUBLIC.  195 

He  is  sifting  out  the  hearts  of  men  before  his  judgment- 
seat: 

Oh,  be  swift,  my  soul,  to  answer  him,  —  be  jubilant,  my 
feet! 
Our  God  is  marching  on. 

In  the  beauty  of  the  lilies  Christ  was  born  across  the  sea, 
With  a  glory  in  his  bosom  that  transfigures  you  and  me  : 
As  he  died  to  make  men  holy,  let  us  die  to  make  men 
free, 
While  God  is  marching  on. 

Julia  Ward  Howe. 


190  HEROIC  BALLADS. 


THE   LANDING   OF   THE   PILGRIM   FATHERS 
IN   NEW   ENGLAND.1 

"  Look  now  abroad  —  another  race  has  filled 
Those  populous  borders— wide  the  wood  recedes, 

And  towns  shoot  tip,  and  fertile  realms  are  tilled; 
The  land  is  full  of  harvests  and  green  meads." 


Bryant. 


The  breaking  waves  dashed  high 
On  a  stern  and  rock-bound  coast, 

And  the  woods  against  a  stormy  sky 
Their  giant  branches  tossed ; 

And  the  heavy  night  hung  dark, 

The  hills  and  waters  o'er, 
When  a  band  of  exiles  moored  their  bark 

On  the  wild  New  England  shore. 

Not  as  the  conqueror  comes, 

They,  the  true-hearted,  came  ; 
Not  with  the  roll  of  the  stirring  drums, 

And  the  trumpet  that  sings  of  fame  ; 

Not  as  the  flying  come, 

In  silence  and  in  fear; 
They  shook  the  depths  of  the  desert  gloom 

With  their  hymns  of  lofty  cheer. 

Amidst  the  storm  they  sang, 

And  the  stars  heard,  and  the  sea ; 

1  December  21,  LG20,  is  the  traditional  date  of  the  landing. 


THE  LANDING  OF  THE  PILGRIM  FATHERS.         197 

And  the  sounding  aisles  of  the  dim  woods  rang 
To  the  anthem  of  the  free. 

The  ocean  eagle  soared 

From  his  nest  by  the  white  wave's  foam ; 
And  the  rocking  pines  of  the  forest  roared  — 

This  was  their  welcome  home. 

There  were  men  with  hoary  hair 

Amidst  that  pilgrim  band  : 
Why  had  they  come  to  wither  there, 

Away  from  their  childhood's  land? 

There  was  woman's  fearless  eye, 

Lit  by  her  deep  love's  truth  ; 
There  was  manhood's  brow,  serenely  high, 

And  the  fiery  heart  of  youth. 

What  sought  they  thus  afar  ? 

Bright  jewels  of  the  mine  ? 
The  wealth  of  seas,  the  spoils  of  war  ? 

They  sought  a  faith's  pure  shrine  ! 

Ay,  call  it  holy  ground, 

The  soil  where  first  they  trod  ; 
They  have  left  unstained  what  there  they  found  — 

Freedom  to  worship  God. 

Felicia  Hemaks. 


198  HEROIC   BALLADS. 


MONTEREY.1 


Wi  were  not  many,  we  who  stood 

Before  the  iron  sleet  that  day  ; 
Yet  many  a  gallant  spirit  would 
(Jive  half  his  years  if  hut  he  could 

Have  heen  with  nsat  .Monterey. 

Now  here,  now  there,  the, shot  it  hailed 

In  deadly  drifts  of  fiery  spray, 
Yet  not  a  single  soldier  quailed 
When  wounded  comrades  round  them  Availed 

Their  dying  shout  at  Monterey. 

And  on,  still  on  our  column  kept 

Through  walls  of  flame  its  withering  way; 
Where  fell  the  dead,  the  living  stept, 
Still  charging  on  the  guns  which  swept 
The  slippery  streets  of  Monterey. 

The  foe  himself  recoiled  aghast, 

When,  striking  where  he  strongest  lay, 
We  swooped  his  flanking  batteries  past, 
And  braving  full  their  murderous  blast, 
Stormed  home  the  towers  of  Monterey. 

1  During  the  Mexican  War,  in  1X4C,  General  Taylor  with  less  than  six 
thousand  men  took  the  strongly  fortified  city  of  Monterey  by  storm.  The 
city  was  defended  by  a  garrison  numbering  nearly  two  to  one  of  the  attack- 
ing force,  but  it  fell  before  the  impetuous  assault  of  the  Americans. 


MONTEREY.  199 

Our  banners  on  those  turrets  wave, 
And  there  our  evening  bugles  play  ; 

Where  orange-boughs  above  their  grave, 

Keep  green  the  memory  of  the  brave 
Who  fought  and  fell  at  Monterey. 

We  are  not  many,  we  who  pressed 

Beside  the  brave  who  fell  that  day ; 
But  who  of  us  has  not  confessed 
He'd  rather  share  their  warrior  rest 

Than  not  have  been  at  Monterey? 

Charles  Fenno  Hoffman. 


200  IILKOIC   BALLADS. 


OUR   STATE. 


The  south-land  boasts  its  teeming  cane, 
The  prairied  west  its  heavy  grain, 
And  sunset's  radiant  gates  unfold 
On  rising  marts  and  sands  of  gold. 

Rough,  bleak,  and  hard,  our  little  State 
Is  scant  of  soil,  of  limits  strait  ; 
Her  yellow  sands  are  sands  alone, 
Her  only  mines  are  ice  and  stone  ! 

From  autumn  frost  to  April  rain, 
Too  long  her  winter  woods  complain  ; 
From  budding  flower  to  falling  leaf, 
Her  summer  time  is  all  too  brief. 

Yet,  on  her  rocks,  and  on  her  sands, 
And  wintry  hills,  the  school-house  stands  ; 
And  what  her  rugged  soil  denies 
The  harvest  of  the  mind  supplies. 

The  riches  of  the  commonwealth 

Are  free,  strong  minds,  and  hearts  of  health  ; 

And  more  to  her  than  gold  or  grain 

The  cunning  hand  and  cultured  brain. 


OUR   STATE.  201 

For  well  she  keeps  her  ancient  stock, 
The  stubborn  strength  of  Pilgrim  Rock  ; 
And  still  maintains,  with  milder  laws, 
And  clearer  light,  the  good  old  cause  ! 

Nor  heeds  the  sceptic's  puny  hands, 

While  near  her  school  the  church-spire  stands ; 

Nor  fears  the  blinded  bigot's  rule, 

While  near  her  church-spire  stands  the  school. 

John  Greenleaf  Whittier. 


1>02  HEROIC   BALLADS. 


CARMEN   BELLICOSUM.1 


In  their  ragged  regimentals 
Stood  the  old  Continentals,2 

Yielding  not, 
When  the  grenadiers 3  were  lunging,4 
And  like  hail  fell  the  plunging 

Cannon-shot ; 

When  the  files 

Of  the  isles, 
From  the  smoky  night  encampment,  bore  the  banner  of 
the  rampant5 

Unicorn,6 
And  grummer,  grummer,  grummer,  rolled  the   roll  of 
the  drummer, 

Through  the  morn ! 

Then  with  eyes  to  the  front  all, 
And  with  guns  horizontal, 

Stood  our  sires ; 
And  the  balls  whistled  deadly, 
And  in  streams  flashing  redly 

1  Carmen  Bellicosum  :  a  war-song  (of  the  Revolution). 

-  Continentals:  the  American  fonts. 

8  Grenadiers:  English  soldiers. 

4  Lunging:  thrusting  with  their  swords. 

c  Rampant:  standing  in  a  fighting  attitude. 

c  Unicorn:  the  Unicorn  on  the  British  coat-of-arms. 


CARMEN   BELLICOSUM.  203 

Blazed  the  fires; 
As  the  roar 
On  the  shore, 
Swept  the  strong  battle-breakers  o'er  the  green-sodded 
acres 

Of  the  plain ; 
And  louder,    louder,  louder,    cracked   the    black   gun- 
powder, 

Cracking  amain ! 

Now  like  smiths  at  their  forges 
Worked  the  red  St.  George's 

Cannoniers  ; 1 
And  the  "  villanous  saltpetre  " 
Rung  a  fierce,  discordant  metre 

Round  their  ears ; 

As  the  swift 

Storm-drift, 
With  hot  sweeping  anger,  came  the  horse-guards' 2  clangor 

On  our  flanks. 
Then  higher,  higher,  higher,  burned  the  old-fashioned 
fire 

Through  the  ranks  ! 

Then  the  old-fashioned  colonel 
Galloped  through  the  white  infernal 

Powder-cloud ; 
And  his  broad  sword  was  swinging, 
And  his  brazen  throat  was  ring-in  of 

1  St.  George's  cannoniers  :  the  British  artillery-men. 

2  Horse-guards:  the  British  cavalry. 


1^04  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

Trumpet  loud. 
Then  the  blue 
Bullets  flew, 
And    the    trooper-jackets  redden   at   the    touch  of   the 
leaden 

Rifle-breath ; 
And  rounder,  rounder,  rounder,   roared   the   iron  six- 
pounder, 

Hurling  death ! 

Guy  Humphrey  McMaster 


ROLL-CALL.  205 


ROLL-CALL. 


"  Corporal  Green  !  "  the  Orderly 1  cried. 
"  Here  !  "  was  the  answer,  loud  and  clear, 
From  the  lips  of  the  soldier  who  stood  near ; 

And  "  Here  !  "  was  the  word  the  next  replied. 

"  Cyrus  Drew ! "  —  then  silence  fell  — 
This  time  no  answer  followed  the  call ; 
Only  his  rear  man  had  seen  him  fall, 

Killed  or  wounded,  he  could  not  tell. 

There  they  stood  in  the  falling  light, 

These  men  of  battle,  with  grave,  dark  looks, 
As  plain  to  be  read  as  open  books, 

While  slowly  gathered  the  shades  of  night. 

The  fern  on  the  hillsides  was  splashed  with  blood, 
And  down  in  the  corn,  where  the  poppies  grew, 
Were  redder  stains  than  the  poppies  knew ; 

And  crimson-dyed  was  the  river's  flood. 

For  the  foe  had  crossed  from  the  other  side 
That  day,  in  the  face  of  a  murderous  fire 
That  swept  them  down  in  its  terrible  ire, 

And  their  life-blood  went  to  color  the  tide. 

1  Orderly  :  a  non-commissioned  officer  who  attends  a  superior  officer  to 
bear  his  orders  or  do  other  service. 


206  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

"  Herbert  Kline  !  "     At  the  call  there  came 
Two  stalwart  soldiers  into  the  line, 
Bearing  between  them  this  Herbert  Kline, 

Wounded  and  bleeding,  to  answer  his  name. 

"  Ezra  Kerr !  "  —  and  a  voice  answered  "  Here  ! " 

"  Hiram  Kerr  !  "  — but  no  man  replied. 

They  were  brothers,  these  two ;  the  sad  wind  sighed, 
And  a  shudder  crept  through  the  cornfield  near. 

"  Ephraim  Deane  !  "  —  then  a  soldier  spoke  : 
"  Deane  carried  our  regiment's  colors,"  he  said ; 
"  Where  our  ensign  was  shot  I  left  him  dead, 

Just  after  the  enemy  wavered  and  broke. 

"  Close  to  the  roadside  his  body  lies  ; 

I  paused  a  moment  and  gave  him  drink  ; 

He  murmured  his  mother's  name,  I  think, 
And  death  came  with  it,  and  closed  his  eyes." 

'Twas  a  victory,  yes,  but  it  cost  us  dear  — 
For  that  company's  roll,  when  called  at  night, 
Of  a  hundred  men  who  went  into  the  fight, 

Numbered  but  twenty  that  answered  "  Here  ! " 

Nathaniel  Gkaham  Shepherd 


THE   BATTLE-FIELD.  207 


THE   BATTLE-FIELD. 


Once  this  soft  turf,  this  rivulet's  sands, 
Were  trampled  by  a  hurrying  crowd, 

And  fiery  hearts  and  armed  hands 
Encountered  in  the  battle-cloud. 

Ah !  never  shall  the  land  forget 

How  gushed  the  life-blood  of  her  brave  — 

Gushed,  warm  with  hope  and  courage  yet, 
Upon  the  soil  they  sought  to  save. 

Now  all  is  calm,  and  fresh,  and  still : 

Alone  the  chirp  of  flitting  bird, 
And  talk  of  children  on  the  hill, 

And  bell  of  wandering  kine  are  heard. 

No  solemn  host  goes  trailing  by 

The  black-mouthed  gun  and  staggering  wain  1 ; 
Men  start  not  at  the  battle-cry  — 

Oh,  be  it  never  heard  again  ! 

Soon  rested  those  who  fought ;  but  thou 

Who  minglest  in  the  harder  strife 
For  truths  which  men  receive  not  now, 

Thy  warfare  only  ends  with  life. 

1  Wain  :  a  heavy  wagon. 


208  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

A  friendless  warfare  !  lingering  long 
Through  weary  day  and  weary  year; 

A  wild  and  many-weaponed  throng 

Hang  on  thy  front,  and  flank,  and  rear. 

Yet  nerve  thy  spirit  to  the  proof, 

And  blench  not  at  thy  chosen  lot ; 
The  timid  good  may  stand  aloof, 

The  sage  may  frown  —  yet  faint  thou  not. 

Nor  heed  the  shaft  too  surely  cast, 
The  foul  and  hissing  bolt  of  scorn ; 

For  with  thy  side  shall  dwell,  at  last, 
The  victory  of  endurance  born. 

Truth,  crushed  to  earth,  shall  rise  again  — 
The  eternal  years  of  God  are  hers ; 

But  Error,  wounded,  writhes  in  pain, 
And  dies  among  his  worshippers. 

Yea,  though  thou  lie  upon  the  dust, 

When  they  who  helped  thee  flee  in  fear, 

Die  full  of  hope  and  manly  trust, 
Like  those  who  fell  in  battle  here ! 

Another  hand  thy  sword  shall  wield, 

Another  hand  the  standard  wave, 
Till  from  the  trumpet's  mouth  is  pealed 

The  blast  of  triumph  o'er  thy  grave. 

William  Cullen  Bryant. 


BARBARA   FRIETCIIIE.  209 


BARBARA   FRIETCHIE.1 


Up  from  the  meadows  rich  with  corn, 
Clear  in  the  cool  September  morn, 

The  clustered  spires  of  Frederick  2  stand 
Green-walled  by  the  hills  of  Maryland. 

Round  about  them  orchards  sweep, 
Apple  and  peach  tree  fruited  deep, 

Fair  as  a  garden  of  the  Lord 

To  the  eyes  of  the  famished  rebel  horde, 

On  that  pleasant  morn  of  the  early  fall 

When  Lee  marched  over  the  mountain  wall,  — 

Over  the  mountains,  winding  down, 
Horse  and  foot  into  Frederick  town. 

Forty  flags  with  their  silver  stars, 
Forty  flags  with  their  crimson  bars,3 

i  During  the  Civil  War,  early  in  September,  1862,  General  Lee  of  the 
Confederate  army  crossed  the  Potomac,  took  possession  of  Frederick  City, 
Md.,  and  prepared  to  move  on  to  Baltimore  or  Philadelphia.  The  battle 
of  Antietam  (Sept.  17)  compelled  him  to  retreat  into  Virginia. 

2  Frederick :  the  capital  of  Frederick  County,  Md. 

3  Bars:  for  the  sake  of  the  rhyme  "  bars  "  is  here  used  for  stripes.  The 
"forty  flags,"  according  to  the  story,  were  National  flags  displayed  in 
Frederick;  the  Confederates  hauled  them  down. 


210  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

Flapped  in  the  morning  wind  ;  the  sun 
Of  noon  looked  down,  and  saw  not  one. 

Up  rose  old 'Barbara  Frietchie  :  then, 
Bowed  with  her  fourscore  years  and  ten ; 

Bravest  of  all  in  Frederick  town, 

She  took  up  the  flag  the  men  hauled  down ; 

In  her  attic-window  the  staff  she  set, 
To  show  that  one  heart  was  loyal  yet. 

Up  the  street  came  the  rebel  tread, 
"  Stonewall "  Jackson  2  riding  ahead. 

Under  his  slouched  hat  left  and  right 
He  glanced :  the  old  flag  met  his  sight. 

"  Halt !  "  —  the  dust-brown  ranks  stood  fast ; 
"  Fire  !  "  —  out  blazed  the  rifle-blast. 

It  shivered  the  window,  pane  and  sash ; 
It  rent  the  banner  with  seam  and  gash. 

1  Barbara  Frietchie :  the  story  of  Barbara  Frietchie  is  accepted  as  true 
by  Lossing  in  his  "  Pictorial  History  of  the  War  "  (II.  4(36),  and  he  gives 
a  sketch  of  her  house ;  but  neither  Greeley,  Draper,  nor  the  Comte  de  Paris 
mentions  the  incident. 

2  "  Stonewall "  Jackson:  Thomas  J.  Jackson,  lieutenant-general  in 
the  Confederate  army,  was  one  of  the  bravest  and  most  conscientious  of 
the  Southern  men  who  came  into  prominence  during  the  Civil  War. 

He  received  the  name  of  "  Stonewall"  as  a  compliment  to  his  courage 
at  Bull  Run,  where  during  a  furious  charge  of  Union  troops  he  stood  "like 
a  stone  wall."  His  example  inspired  others  on  his  side,  and  was  one  great 
cause  of  the  South's  winning  the  day. 

"Stonewall  "  Jackson  died  in  1803,  shortly  after  the  battle  of  Chancel- 
lorsville ;  his  English  admirers,  since  the  war,  subscribed  for  a  bronze 
statue  of  the  general,  which  was  erected  in  the  city  of  Richmond,  Va., 
Jackson's  native  State. 


BAEBAEA   FEIETCHIE.  211 

Quick,  as  it  fell,  from  the  broken  staff 
Dame  Barbara  snatched  the  silken  scarf ; 

She  leaned  far  out  on  the  window-sill, 
And  shook  it  forth  with  a  royal  will. 

"  Shoot,  if  you  must,  this  old  gray  head, 
But  spare  your  country's  flag,"  she  said. 

A  shade  of  sadness,  a  blush  of  shame, 
Over  the  face  of  the  leader  came ; 

The  nobler  nature  within  him  stirred 
To  life  at  that  woman's  deed  and  word : 

"  Who  touches  a  hair  of  yon  gray  head 
Dies  like  a  dog  !     March  on  !  "  he  said. 

All  day  long  through  Frederick  street 
Sounded  the  tread  of  marching  feet ; 

All  day  long  that  free  flag  tost 
Over  the  heads  of  the  rebel  host. 

Ever  its  torn  folds  rose  and  fell 

On  the  loyal  winds  that  loved  it  well ; 

And  through  the  hill-gaps  sunset  light 
Shone  over  it  with  a  warm  good-night. 

Barbara  Frietchie's  work  is  o'er, 

And  the  rebel  rides  on  his  raids  no  more. 

Honor  to  her  !  and  let  a  tear 

Fall,  for  her  sake,  on  "  Stonewall's  "  bier. 


212  HEROIC   BALLADS, 

Over  Barbara  Frietchie's  grave, 
Flag  of  freedom  and  union,  wave  ! 

Peace,  and  order,  and  beauty  draw 
Bound  thy  symbol  of  light  and  law  ; 

And  ever  the  stars  above  look  down 
On  thy  stars  below  in  Frederick  town ! 

John  Greenleaf  Whittier 


THE   BURIAL   OF   SIR   JOHN   MOORE.  213 


THE   BURIAL  OF   SIR  JOHN   MOORE.1 

1809. 

Not  a  drum  was  heard,  not  a  funeral  note, 
As  his  corse  to  the  rampart  we  hurried ; 

Not  a  soldier  discharged  his  farewell  shot 
O'er  the  grave  where  our  hero  we  buried. 

We  buried  him  darkly  at  dead  of  night, 

The  sod  with  our  bayonets  turning  ; 
By  the  struggling  moonbeam's  misty  light, 

And  the  lantern  dimly  burning. 

No  useless  coffin  enclosed  his  breast, 

Not  in  sheet  nor  in  shroud  we  wound  him ; 

But  he  lay  like  a  warrior  taking  his  rest, 
With  his  martial  cloak  around  him  ! 

Few  and  short  were  the  prayers  we  said, 

And  we  spoke  not  a  word  of  sorrow  ; 
But  we  steadfastly  gazed  on  the  face  that  was  dead, 

And  we  bitterly  thought  of  the  morrow. 

We  thought,  as  we  hollowed  his  narrow  bed, 

And  smoothed  down  his  lonely  pillow, 
That  the  foe  and  the  stranger  would  tread  o'er  his  head, 

And  we  far  away  on  the  billow  ! 

1  The  burial  of  the  English  general,  Sir  John  Moore,  was  an  incident  of 
Wellington's  campaign  against  Napoleon  in  Spain.  Sir  John  was  killed  at 
C'orunna  in  1809.    He  was  buried  on  the  ramparts  of  the  city. 


214  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

Lightly  they'll  talk  of  the  spirit  that's  gone, 

And  o'er  his  cold  ashes  upbraid  him ; 
But  little  he'll  reck  if  they  let  him  sleep  on, 

In  the  grave  where  a  Briton  has  laid  him. 

But  half  of  our  heavy  task  was  done, 

When  the  clock  struck  the  hour  for  retiring ; 

And  we  heard  the  distant  random  gun 
That  the  foe  was  sullenly  firing. 

Slowly  and  sadly  we  laid  him  down, 

From  the  field  of  his  fame  fresh  and  gory ; 

We  carved  not  a  line,  and  we  raised  not  a  stone  — 
But  we  left  him  alone  in  his  glory  ! 

Charles  Wolfe. 


THE    CUMBERLAND.  215 


THE   CUMBERLAND.1 

March  8,  1862. 

At  anchor  in  Hampton  Roads  we  lay, 

On  board  of  the  Cumberland,  sloop-of-war  ; 
And  at  times  from  the  fortress  across  the  bay 
The  alarum  of  drums  swept  past, 
Or  a  bugle  blast 
From  the  camp  on  the  shore. 

Then  far  away  to  the  south  uprose 

A  little  feather  of  snoAv-white  smoke, 
And  we  knew  that  the  iron  ship  of  our  foes 
Was  steadily  steering  its  course 
To  try  the  force 
Of  our  ribs  of  oak. 

Down  upon  us  heavily  runs, 

Silent  and  sullen,  the  floating  fort ; 
Then  comes  a  puff  of  smoke  from  her  guns, 
And  leaps  the  terrible  death, 
With  fiery  breath, 
From  each  open  port. 

We  are  not  idle,  but  send  her  straight 
Defiance  back  in  a  full  broadside  ! 

1  The  Cumberland :  during  the  American  Civil  War,  the  Merrimac,  an 
iron-clad  Confederate  gunboat,  attacked  and  crashed  in  the  side  of  the 
Union  frigate  Cumberland  at  Hampton  Roads,  Va. 

The  Cumberland  speedily  sunk,  carrying  down  all  the  sick  and  wounded, 
or  one  hundred  and  twenty-one  in  all. 


210  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

As  liail  rebounds  from  a  roof  of  slate, 
Rebounds  our  heavier  hail 
From  each  iron  scale 
Of  the  monster's  hide. 

"  Strike  your  flag  !  "  the  Rebel  cries, 

In  his  arrogant  old  plantation  strain. 
"  Never !  "  our  gallant  Morris  1  replies ; 
"  It  is  better  to  sink  than  to  yield  !  " 
And  the  whole  air  pealed 
With  the  cheers  of  our  men. 

Then,  like  a  kraken  2  huge  and  black, 

She  crushed  our  ribs  in  her  iron  grasp  ! 
Down  went  the  Cumberland  all  a  wreck, 
With  a  sudden  shudder  of  death, 
And  the  cannon's  breath 
For  her  dying  gasp. 

Next  morn,  as  the  sun  rose  over  the  bay, 

Still  floated  our  flag  at  the  mainmast-head. 
Lord,  how  beautiful  was  thy  day  ! 
Every  waft  of  the  air 
Was  a  whisper  of  prayer, 
Or  a  dirge  for  the  dead. 

ITo  !  brave  hearts  that  went  down  in  the  seas! 

Ye  are  at  peace  in  the  troubled  stream ; 
Ho  !  brave  land  !  with  hearts  like  these, 
Thy  flag,  that  is  rent  in  twain, 
Shall  be  one  again, 
And  without  a  seam  ! 

Henry  Wadsworth  Longfellow. 

i  Lieutenant  George  Upham  Morris,  commander  of  the  Cumberland. 
-  Kraken :  a  terrible  sea-monster  said  to  have  been  seen  off  the  coast  of 
Norway. 


THE    PRIVATE   OF   THE   BUFFS.  217 


THE   PRIVATE   OF   THE   BUFFS.1 


Last  night,  among  his  fellow-roughs, 

lie  jested,  quaffed,  and  swore  ; 
A  drunken  private  of  the  Buffs,2 

Who  never  looked  before. 
To-day,  beneath  the  foeman's  frown, 

He  stands  in  Elgin's  place,3 
Ambassador  from  Britain's  crown, 

And  type  of  all  her  race. 

Poor,  reckless,  rude,  low-born,  untaught, 

Bewildered,  and  alone, 
A  heart  with  English  instinct  fraught 

He  yet  can  call  his  own. 
Aye,  tear  his  body  limb  from  limb, 

Bring  cord,  or  axe,  or  flame  ; 
He  only  knows,  that  not  through  htm 

Shall  E no-land  come  to  shame. 

o 

1  During  the  English  war  with  China  in  1858  a  private  of  the  Buffs  with 
some  Indian  troops  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  Chinese.  They  were  ordered 
to  salute  the  authorities  in  the  Chinese  fashion  hy  prostrating  themselves 
and  touching  the  ground  with  the  forehead.  The  Indians  obeyed,  but  the 
English  soldier  swore  that  he  would  not  prostrate  himself  to  any  China- 
man living.  He  was  knocked  on  the  head  and  his  body  cast  out  on  a 
dung-hill. 

2  Buffs:  a  regiment  from  Kent,  England,  so  called  because  the  facings 
of  their  uniforms  are  of  buff  or  light  yellow  color. 

3  He  stands  :  like  Lord  Elgin  (g  hard) ;  a  representative  of  England's 
manliness  and  courage. 


218  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

Far  Kentish  hop-fields  round  him  seemed 

Like  dreams  to  come  and  go ; 
Bright  leagues  of  cherry-blossoms  gleamed, 

One  sheet  of  living  snow ; 
The  smoke  above  his  father's  door, 

In  gray,  soft  eddyings  hung : 
Must  he  then  watch  it  rise  no  more, 

Doomed  by  himself  so  young? 

Yes,  honor  calls  !     With  strength  like  steel 

He  puts  the  vision  by  ; 
Let  dusky  Indians  *  whine  and  kneel ; 

An  English  lad  must  die. 
And  thus,  with  eyes  that  would  not  shrink, 

With  knee  to  man  unbent, 
Unfaltering;  on  its  dreadful  brink, 

To  his  red  grave  he  went. 

Vain,  mightiest  fleets,  of  iron  framed; 

Vain,  those  all-shattering  guns  ; 
Unless  proud  England  keep,  untamed, 

The  strong  heart  of  her  sons. 
So  let  his  name  through  Europe  ring  — 

A  man  of  mean  estate. 
Who  died,  as  firm  as  Sparta's  king,2 

Because  his  soul  was  great. 

Sin  Fkancis  Hastings  Doyle. 

1  Indians :  native  troops  from  India  employed  by  the  English  in  this 
war  with  China. 

-  Leonidas,  king  <>f  Sparta,  who  with  three  hundred  mpn  held  the  pass 
of  Thermopylae  against  a  Persian  anny,  until  he  and  all  his  band  were 
blaiu. 


LUCHINVAE.  219 


LOCHINVAR. 


O,  young  Lochinvar *  is  come  out  of  the  west, 
Through  all  the  wide  Border  2  his  steed  was  the  best ; 
And  save  his  good  broadsword,  he  weapon  had  none, 
He  rode  all  unarmed,  and  he  rode  all  alone. 
So  faithful  in  love,  and  so  dauntless  in  war, 
There  never  was  knight  like  the  young  Lochinvar. 

He  staid  not  for  brake,3  and  he  stopped  not  for  stone, 

He  swam  the  Eske  4  river  where  ford  there  was  none ; 

But  ere  he  alighted  at  Netherby  5  gate, 

The  bride  had  consented,  the  gallant  came  late : 

For  a  laggard  in  love,  and  a  dastard  in  war, 

Was  to  wed  the  fair  Ellen  of  young  Lochinvar. 

So  boldly  he  entered  the  Netherby  Hall, 

Among  bridesmen  and  kinsmen,  and  brothers,  and  all : 

Then  spake  the  bride's  father,  his  hand  on  his  sword, 

(For  the  poor  craven  bridegroom  said  never  a  word,) 

"  O  come  ye  in  peace  here,  or  come  ye  in  war, 

Or  to  dance  at  our  bridal,  young  Lord  Lochinvar?" 

1  Lochinvar  (Lok-in-var'). 

2  Border :  that  part  of  Scotland  which  borders  on  England. 
8  Brake  :  here,  ground  overgrown  with  brakes  and  bushes. 

4  Eske  (or  Esk) :  a  river  on  the  border,  emptying  into  Solway  Firth. 

5  Netherby :  Netherby  Castle,  Cuuiberlaud,  England.     It  is  on  the  east- 
ern bank  of  the  Eske. 


220  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

"  I  long  wooed  your  daughter,  my  suit  you  denied ; 
Love  swells  like  the  Solway,  but  ebbs  like  its  tide  — 
And  now  am  I  come,  with  this  lost  love  of  mine, 
To  lead  but  one  measure,1  drink  one  cup  of  wine. 
There  are  maidens  in  Scotland  more  lovely  by  far, 
That  would  gladly  be  bride  to  the  young  Lochinvar." 

The  bride  kissed  the  goblet :  the  knight  took  it  up, 
He  quaffed  off  the  wine,  and  he  threw  down  the  cup. 
.She  looked  down  to  blush,  and  she  looked  up  to  sigh, 
With  a  smile  on  her  lips  and  a  tear  in  her  eye. 
He  took  her  soft  hand,  ere  her  mother  could  bar,  — 
"  Now  tread  we  a  measure  !  "  said  young  Lochinvar. 

So  stately  his  form,  and  so  lovely  her  face, 
That  never  a  hall  such  a  galliard2  did  grace  ; 
AVhile  her  mother  did  fret,  and  her  father  did  fume, 
And  the  bridegroom    stood    dangling    his    bonnet   and 

plume ; 
And  the  bride-maidens  whispered,   " 'Twere  better  by 

far, 
To  have  matched  our  fair  cousin  with  young  Lochinvar." 

One  touch  to  her  hand,  and  one  word  in  her  ear, 
When  they  reached  the  hall-door,  and  the  charger  stood 

near ; 
So  light  to  the  croupe  the  fair  lady  he  swung, 
So  light  to  the  saddle  before  her  he  sprung. 
"She  is  won  !  we  are  gone  over  bank,  bush  and  scam;3 
They'll    have    licet   steeds    that  follow,"   quoth  young 

Lochinvar. 

1  Measure  :  a  dance. 

-  Galliard  :  a  gay,  lively  dance. 

a  Scaur :  a  steep,  precipitous  place. 


LOCHINVAR.  221 

There  was  mounting  'mong  Graemes  of  the  Netherby 

clan  ; 
Forsters,  Fenwicks,  and  Musgraves,  they  rode  and  they 

ran : 
There  was  racing  and  chasing  on  Cannobie  Lee,1 
But  the  lost  bride  of  Netherby  ne'er  did  they  see. 
So  daring  in  love,  and  so  dauntless  in  war, 
Have  ye  e'er  heard  of  gallant  like  young  Lochinvar  ? 

Sir  Walter  Scott. 

i  Cannobie  (or  Cannonby)  Lee :  the  Cannobie  meadows  in  the  vicinity 
of  Netherby  Castle. 


222  HEROIC   BALLADS. 


"'STONEWALL'   JACKSON'S   WAY."1 


Come,  stack  arms,  men  !     Pile  on  the  rails,2 

Stir  up  the  camp-fire  bright ; 
No  matter  if  the  canteen  fails, 

We'll  make  a  roaring  night. 
Here  Shenandoah3  brawls  along, 
There  burly  Blue  Ridge  echoes  strong, 
To  swell  the  brigade's  rousing  song 

Of  " '  Stonewall '  Jackson's  way." 

We  see  him  now  —  the  old  slouched  hat 

Cocked  o'er  his  eye  askew, 
The  shrewd,  dry  smile,  the  speech  so  pat, 

So  calm,  so  blunt,  so  true. 
The  "  Blue-Light  Elder  " 4  knows  'em  well ; 

1  "  Stonewall  "  Jackson  :  see  note  2,  p.  210. 

-Rails:  fence  rails;  this  must  be  regarded  as  "poetic  license,"  since 
"  Stonewall "  Jackson  gave  his  men  strict  orders  not  to  take  the  fence  rails 
for  fuel  —  occasionally,  however,  on  bitter  cold  or  very  wet  nights  these 
orders  would  be  secretly  violated. 

a  Shenandoah :  Jackson  always  spoke  of  the  Shenandoah  Valley  with 
particular  affection,  —  his  home  at  Lexington,  Va.,was  in  it, — and  he  used 
to  say  that  if  the  South  lost,  "  The  Valley,"  Virginia,  would  be  lost. 

4  "  Blue-Light  Elder  "  :  Jackson  was  a  rigid  Presbyterian,  and  a  man  of 
exemplary  piety.  The  name  "  Blue-Light  Elder"  was  playfully  given  to 
him  by  bis  former  pupils  at  the  Lexington  Military  Academy;  it  meant  no 
disrespect,  —  it  could  not, —  for  Jackson  was  one  who,  by  his  sincerity  and 
force  of  character,  compelled  all  to  respect  him  whether  they  agreed  with 
him  or  not. 


"'STONEWALL'   JACKSON'S   WAY."  223 

Says  he,  "  That's  Banks  1  —  he's  fond  of  shell,2 
Lord  save  his  soul !     We'll  give  him  "  —  well, 
That's  "  '  Stonewall '  Jackson's  way." 

Silence  !  ground  arms  !  kneel  all !  caps  off ! 

"  Old  Blue-Light's  "  going  to  pray. 
Strangle  the  fool  that  dares  to  scoff ! 

Attention  !  it's  his  way. 
Appealing  from  his  native  sod, 
In  forma  pauperis3  to  God  — 
"  Lay  bare  thine  arm,  stretch  forth  thy  rod  ! 

Amen  !  "     That's  "  '  Stonewall's '  way." 

He's  in  the  saddle  now,  —  Fall  in ! 

Steady  !  the  whole  brigade  ! 
Hill's  4  at  the  ford,  cut  off  —  we'll  win 

His  way  out,  ball  and  blade  ! 5 
What  matter  if  our  shoes  are  worn  ? 
What  matter  if  our  feet  are  torn  ? 
"  Quick-step  !  6  we're  with  him  before  dawn  !  " 

That's  "  '  Stonewall '  Jackson's  way." 

The  sun's  bright  lances  rout  the  mists 

Of  morning,  and,  by  George ! 
Here's  Longstreet 7  struggling  in  the  lists,8 

1  Banks:  General  Banks  of  the  Union  army,  who  undertook  to  drive 
Jackson  out  of  "  The  Valley."  2  Shell:  a  contraction  of  bombshell. 

3  In  forma  pauperis :  literally,  as  a  pauper ;  as  one  who  sorely  needs 
God's  help.  4Hill:  General  Hill  of  the  Confederate  army. 

5  Ball  and  blade  :  by  bullet  and  sword. 

6  Quick-step  :  nothing  could  equal  the  rapidity  of  Jackson's  movements ; 
he  always  seemed  to  be  on  the  "  double-quick,"  and  his  brigade  of  infantry 
got  the  name  of  Jackson's  foot-cavalry. 

7  Longstreet :  General  Longstreet  of  the  Confederate  army. 

8  Lists :  literally  an  enclosure  where  a  tournament  or  battle  between 
knights  was  fought. 


224  HEROIC  BALLADS. 

Hemmed  in  an  ugly  gorge. 
Pope 1  and  Ins  Yankees,  whipped  before,  — 
"  Bay'nets  and  grape  !  "  2  hear  "  Stonewall  "  roar  ; 
"  Charge,  Stuart ! 3     Pay  off  Ashby's  4  score  !  " 

In  " '  Stonewall '  Jackson's  way." 

Ah !  maiden,  wait  and  watch  and  yearn 

For  news  of  "  Stonewall's  "  band ! 
Ah !  Avidow,  read  with  eyes  that  burn 

That  ring5  upon  thy  hand. 
Ah !  wife,  sew  on,  pray  on,  hope  on ! 
Thy  life  shall  not  be  all  forlorn  ; 
The  foe  had  better  ne'er  been  born 

That  gets  in  " '  Stonewall's '  way." 

J.  W.  Palmer. 

(Written,  it  is  said,  within  hearing  of  the  battle  of 

Antietam,  Sept.  17th,  1862.) 

i  Pope :  General  Pope  of  the  Union  army. 

2  Grape :  grapeshot. 

s  Stuart :  General  Stuart  of  the  Confederate  cavalry. 

4  Ashby :  a  cavalry  general  in  Jackson's  army. 

r"  Ring :  wedding  ring. 


THE    OLD   SERGEANT.  225 


THE    OLD   SERGEANT.1 


The  carrier1  cannot  sing  to-night  the  ballads  , 

With  which  he  used  to  go 
Rhyming  the  grand  round  of  the  Happy  New  Years 

That  are  now  beneath  the  snow ; 

For  the  same  awful  and  portentous  shadow 

That  overcast  the  earth, 
And  smote  the  land  last  year  with  desolation, 

Still  darkens  every  hearth. 

And  the  carrier  hears  Beethoven's  2  mighty  Deadmarch 

Come  up  from  every  mart, 
And  he  hears  and  feels  it  breathing  in  his  bosom, 

And  beatinnf  in  his  heart. 


t> 


And  to-day,  like  a  scarred  and  weather-beaten  veteran, 

Again  he  comes  along, 
To  tell  the  story  of  the  Old  Year's  struggles, 

In  another  New  Year's  song. 

And  the  song  is  his,  but  not  so  with  the  story ; 
For  the  story,  you  must  know, 

1  The  carrier  of  the  Louisville  (Kentucky)  Journal.    This  poem  was 
distributed  by  the  Journal  to  its  patrons  on  New  Year's  Day,  1863. 
-  Beethoven  (Bay'to-ven) :  a  celebrated  German  musical  composer. 


226  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

Was  told  in  prose  to  Assistant-Surgeon  Austin, 
By  a  soldier  of  Shiloh,1  — 

By  Robert  Burton,  who  was  brought  up  on  the  Adams, 

With  his  death-wound  in  his  side, 
And  who  told  the  story  to  the  Assistant-Surgeon 

On  the  same  night  that  he  died. 

But  the  singer  feels  it  will  better  suit  the  ballad, 

If  all  should  deem  it  right, 
To  sing  the  story  as  if  what  it  speaks  of 

Had  happened  but  last  night. 

"Come  a  little  nearer,  doctor,  —  thank  you,  —  let  me 

take  the  cup ; 
Draw  your  chair  up,  —  draw  it  closer, — just  another 

little  sup ! 
May  be  you  may  think  I'm  better  ;  but  I'm  pretty  well 

used  up,  — 
Doctor,  you've  done  all   you  could    do,    but    I'm   just 

a-going  up  ! 

'•Feel  my  pulse,  sir,  if  }rou  want  to,  but  it   ain't  much 

use  to  try  —  " 
"  Never  say  that,"   said  the   surgeon,  as   he  smothered 

down  a  sigh ; 
"It  will  never  do,  old  comrade,  for  a  soldier  to  say  die  !  " 
"  What  you  say  will  make  no  difference,  doctor,  when 

you  come  to  die. 

1  Shiloh  :  this  was  the  first  really  great  battle  of  the  Civil  War.  It  was 
fought  at  Shiloh  Church  (or  Pittsburgh  Landing),  Tenn.,  April  6,  7,  1862, 
between  General  Grant  and  General  Johnston.  Johnston  was  killed,  and 
the  Confederate  force  driven  from  the  field. 


THE   OLD    SERGEANT.  227 

"  Doctor,  what  has   been   the   matter  ?  "     "  You   were 

very  faint,  they  say  ; 
You  must  try  to  get  some  sleep  now."     "  Doctor,  have 

I  been  away  ?  " 
"Not   that   anybody   knows    of!"     "Doctor, — doctor, 

please  to  say ! 
There  is  something  I  must  tell  you,  and  3011  won't  have 

long  to  stay ! 

"  I  have  got  my  marching  orders,  and  I'm  ready  now  to 

g°; 

Doctor,  did  you  say  I   fainted  ?  —  but   it  couldn't   ha' 

been  so,  — 
For  as  sure  as  I'm  a   sergeant  and  was  wounded   at 

Shiloh, 
I've  this  very  night  been  back  there,  on  the  old  field  of 

Shiloh ! 


"  This  is  all  that  I  remember  !  The  last  time  the  lighter 

came, 
And   the  lights  had  all  been   lowered,  and  the  noises 

much  the  same, 
He  had  not  been  gone  five  minutes  before  something 

called  my  name  : 
Orderly  Sergeant  —  Robert  Burton  !  just  that  way 
it  called  my  name. 

"  And  I  wondered  who  could  call  me  so  distinctly  and 

so  slow, 
Knew  it  couldn't  be  the  lighter,  —  he    could  not  have 

spoken  so,  — 


228  HEROIC  BALLADS. 

And  I  tried  to  answer,  '  Here,  sir ! '  but  I  couldn't  make 

it  go ! 
For  I  couldn't   move    a  muscle,  and  I  couldn't  make 

it  go ! 

—  "  Then  I  thought :  '  It's  all  a  nightmare,  all  a  hum- 
bug and  a  bore ; 

Just  another  foolish  grapevine}  —  and  it  won't  come 
any  more ; ' 

But  it  came,  sir,  notwithstanding,  just  the  same  way  as 
before  : 

Orderly  Sergeant  —  Kobert  Burton!  even  plainer 
than  before. 

"  That  is  all  that  I  remember,  till  a  sudden  burst  of 
light, 

And  I  stood  beside  the  river,2  where  we  stood  that  Sun- 
day night, 

Waiting  to  be  ferried  over  to  the  dark  bluffs  opposite, 

When  the  river  was  perdition  and  all  hell  was  opposite! 

"  And  the  same  old  palpitation  came  again  in    all  its 

power, 
And  I  heard  a  bugle  sounding,  as  from  some  celestial 

tower ; 
And    the    same    mysterious    voice    said:     'It    is    THE 

Eleventh  Hon: ! 
Orderly  Sergeant -- Robert  Burton, — it  is  the 

Eleventh  Hour  ! ' 

"  Doctor  Austin  !  what  day  is  this?"    "It  is  Wednesday 
night,  you  know." 

1  Army  Blang  for  false  news. 

2  The  Tennessee  River,  where  the  battle  was  fought. 


THE    OLD   SERGEANT.  229 

"  Yes,  —  to-morrow  will  be  New  Year's,  and  a  right  good 

time  below  ! 
What  time   is   it,  Doctor  Austin?"    "Nearly  twelve." 

"  Then  don't  you  go  ! 
Can  it  be  that  all  this  happened  —  all  this  —  not  an  hour 

ago? 

"  There  was  where  the    gunboats  opened  on  the  dark 

rebellious  host ; 
And  where  Webster  semicircled  his  last  guns  upon  the 

coast ; 
There  were  still  the  two  log-houses,  just  the  same,  or 

else  their  ghost,  — 
And  the  same  old  transport l  came  and  took  me  over,  — 

or  its  ghost ! 

"  And  the  old  field  lay  before  me  all  deserted  far  and 

wide ; 
There  was  where  they  fell  on  Prentiss,  —  there  McCler- 

nand  met  the  tide  ; 
There  was    where    stern    Sherman    rallied,    and  where 

Hurlbut's  heroes  died,  — 
Lower   down  where  Wallace  charged   them,  and  kept 

charging  till  he  died. 

"  There  was  where  Lew  Wallace  2  showed  them  he  was 

of  the  canny  3  kin, 
There   was    where  old    Nelson    thundered,    and    where 

Rousseau  waded  in  ; 

1  Transport :  the  transport  boat. 

2  Lew  Wallace:  General  Lewis  Wallace  of  the  Union  army;  he  distin- 
guished himself  at  the  battle  of  Shiloh.  The  other  names  are  those  of 
Union  commanders  in  the  battle.  3  Canny  :  knowing,  shrewd. 


230  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

There  McCook  .sent  'em  to  breakfast,  and  we  all  began 

to  win,  — 
There    was  where  the  grapeshot  took  me,  just   as  we 

began  to  win. 

"Now  a  shroud  of  snow  and  silence  over  everything 

was  spread ; 
And  but  for  this  old  blue  mantle  and  the  old  hat  on 

my  head, 
I  should  not  have  even  doubted,  to  this  moment,  I  was 

dead,  — 
For  my  footsteps  were  as  silent  as  the  snow  upon  the 

dead  ! 

"  Death  and  silence !  death  and  silence !  all  around  me 

as  I  sped  ! 
And  behold  a  mighty  tower,  as  if  builded  to  the  dead. 
To  the  heaven  of  the  heavens  lifted  up  its  mighty  head, 
Till  the  stars  and  stripes  of  heaven  all  seemed  waving 

from  its  head ! 

"  Round  and  mighty-based  it  towered,  up  into  the  in- 
finite, — 

And  I  knew  no  mortal  mason  could  have  built  a  shaft 
so  bright; 

For  it  shone  like  solid  sunshine ;  and  a  winding  stair  of 
light 

Wound  around  it  and  around  it,  till  it  wound  clear  out 
of  sight  ! 

"And  behold,  as  I  approached  it,  with  a  rapt1  and 
dazzled  stare,  — 

1  Rapt:  raptured. 


THE   OLD   SERGEANT.  231 

Thinking  that  I  saw  old  comrades  just  ascending  the 

great  stair,  — 
Suddenly  the  solemn  challenge  broke  of  — '  Halt,  and 

who  goes  there  ?  ' 
'  I'm  a  friend,'  I  said,  '  if  you  are.'     '  Then  advance,  sir, 

to  the  stair  ! ' 

"  I  advanced !  —  That  sentry,  doctor,  was  Elijah  Bal- 

lantyne !  — 
First  of  all  to  fall  on  Monday,  after  we  had  formed  the 

line !  — 
'  Welcome,  my  old  sergeant,  welcome !     Welcome  by 

that  countersign  ! ' 
And  he  pointed  to  the  scar  there,  under  this  old  cloak 

of  mine ! 

"  As  he  grasped  my  hand,  I  shuddered,  thinking  only 
of  the  grave  ; 

But  he  smiled  and  pointed  upward  with  a  bright  and 
bloodless  glaive ; * 

'  That's  the  way,  sir,  to  headquarters.'  '  What  head- 
quarters ? '     'Of  the  brave.' 

'But  the  great  tower?'  'That,'  he  answered,  'is  the 
way,  sir,  of  the  brave  ! ' 

"  Then  a  sudden  shame  came  o'er  me  at  his  uniform  of 

light,— 
At  my  own  so  old  and  tattered,  and  at  his  so  new  and 

bright. 
'  Ah  ! '  said  he,  '  you  have  forgotten  the  new  uniform 

to-night,  — 

1  Glaive :  sword. 


232  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

Hurry  buck,  for  you  must  be  here  at  just  twelve  o'clock 
to-night !  ' 

"And   the    next  thing  I  remember,  you  were  sitting 

there,  and  I  — 
Doctor,  —  did  you  hear  a  footstep?     Hark  !  —  God  bless 

you  all !     Good-by  ! 
Doctor,  please  to   give   my  musket  and  my  knapsack, 

when  I  die, 
To  my  son  —  my  son  that's  coming,  —  he  won't  get  here 

till  I  die ! 

"Tell  him  his  old  father  blessed  him  as  he  never  did 

before,  — 
And  to  carry  that  old  musket "  —  Hark  !  a  knock  is  at 

the  door  — 
"  Till  the  Union  "  — See  !  it  opens!  — "Father!  Father! 

speak  once  more  !  "  — 
"  Bless  you ! "  gasped  the  old  gray  sergeant,  and  he  lay 

and  said  no  more. 

FORCEYTHE    WlLLSON. 


BARCLAY   OF   URY.  233 


BARCLAY   OF   URY.1 


Ur  the  streets  of  Aberdeen, 
By  the  kirk  2  and  college-green, 

Rode  the  Laird  3  of  Ury  ; 
Close  behind  him,  close  beside, 
Foul  of  mouth  and  evil-eyed, 

Pressed  the  mob  in  fury. 

Flouted  him  the  drunken  churl,* 
Jeered  at  him  the  serving-girl, 

Prompt  to  please  her  master ; 
And  the  begging  carlin,5  late 
Fed.  and  clothed  at  Ury's  gate, 

Cursed  him  as  he  passed  her. 

Yet  with  calm  and  stately  mien, 
Up  the  streets  of  Aberdeen 

1  Barclay  of  Ury :  David  Barclay,  proprietor  of  Ury,  an  estate  near 
Aberdeen,  Scotland,  was  one  of  the  early  Friends,  or  Quakers.  He  served 
under  the  famous  Swedish  general,  Gustavus  Adolphus,  when  that  com- 
mander was  mortally  wouuded  in  the  terrible  battle  of  Liitzen,  Germany, 
in  the  Thirty  Years'  War. 

Barclay  with  thirty  other  Quakers  was  cast  into  prison  in  Aberdeen  in 
lttTfi,  on  account  of  his  religious  faith,  but  was  shortly  after  released.  His 
son,  Robert,  a  man  of  commanding  talents  and  great  moral  courage, — 
qualities  which  he  inherited  from  his  father,  —  was  the  author  of  a  defence 
of  the  religion  held  and  taught  by  the  Friends,  which  is  considered  the 
ablest  work  of  the  kind  yet  produced. 

2  Kirk  :  church.  i  Churl :  a  low  fellow. 

3  Laird :  a  landed  proprietor,  squire.  5  Carlin:  old  woman. 


234  HEROIC  BALLADS. 

Came  he  slowly  riding ; 
And,  to  all  he  saw  and  heard, 
Answering  not  with  bitter  word, 

Turning  not  for  chiding. 

Came  a  troop  with  broadswords  swinging, 
Bits  and  bridles  sharply  ringing, 

Loose  and  free  and  fro  ward ; * 
Quoth  the  foremost,  "  Ride  him  down  ! 
Push  him  !  prick  him  !2  through  the  town 

Drive  the  Quaker  coward  !  " 

But  from  out  the  thickening  crowd 
Cried  a  sudden  voice  and  loud: 

"  Barclay !  Ho  !  a  Barclay !  " 
And  the  old  man  at  his  side 
Saw  a  comrade,  battle-tried, 

Scarred  and  sunburned  darkly,  — 

Who  with  ready  weapon  bare, 
Fronting  to  the  troopers  there, 

Cried  aloud  :  "  God  save  us  ! 
Call  ye  coward  him  who  stood 
Ankle  deep  in  Liitzen's  3  blood, 

With  the  brave  Gustavus  ?  " 

"  Nay,  I  do  not  need  thy  sword, 
Comrade  mine,"  said  Ury's  lord ; 
"  Put  it  up,  I  pray  thee ; 

1  Froward  :  ungovernable,  perverse. 

-  Prick  him:  prick  him  with  your  swords. 

3  Lutzen  and  Gustavus:  see  note  1,  p.  233. 


BARCLAY   OF  URY.  235 

Passive  to  his  holy  will, 
Trust  I  in  my  Master  still, 
Even  though  he  slay  me. 

"  Pledges  of  thy  love  and  faith, 
Proved  on  many  a  field  of  death, 

Not  by  me  are  needed." 
Marvelled  much  that  henchman 1  bold 
That  his  laird,  so  stout 2  of  old, 

Now  so  meekly  pleaded. 

"  Woe's  the  day !  "  he  sadly  said, 
With  a  slowly  shaking  head, 

And  a  look  of  pity ; 
"  Ury's  honest  lord  reviled, 
Mock  of  knave  and  sport  of  child, 

In  his  own  good  city ! 

"  Speak  the  word,  and,  master  mine, 
As  we  charged  on  Tilly's  3  line, 

And  his  Walloon  4  lancers, 
Smiting  through  their  midst  we'll  teach 
Civil  look  and  decent  speech 

To  these  boyish  prancers !  " 

"  Marvel  not,  mine  ancient  friend, 
Like  beginning,  like  the  end:  " 

Quoth  the  Laird  of  Ury, 
"  Is  the  sinful  servant  more 

1  Henchman :  servant  or  follower.  2  Stout :  brave. 

3  Tilly :  Gustavus  Adolphus  defeated  Marshal  Tilly  at  Leipsic,  1631. 

4  Walloon:  an  inhabitant  of  Southern  Belgium. 


236  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

Than  his  gracious  Lord  who  bore 
Bonds  and  stripes  in  Jewry  ? 1 

"  Give  me  joy  that  in  His  name 
I  can  bear,  with  patient  frame, 

All  these  vain  ones  offer ; 
While  for  them  He  suffereth  long, 
Shall  I  answer  wrong  with  wrong, 

Scoffing  with  the  scoffer  ? 

"  Happier  I,  with  loss  of  all, 
Hunted,  outlawed,  held  in  thrall,2 

With  few  friends  to  greet  me, 
Than  when  reeve  3  and  squire  were  seen, 
Riding  out  from  Aberdeen, 

With  bared  heads  to  meet  me. 

"  When  each  goodwife,  o'er  and  o'er, 
Blessed  me  as  I  passed  her  door ; 

And  the  snooded  4  daughter, 
Through  her  casement  glancing  down, 
Smiled  on  him  who  bore  renown 

From  red  fields  of  slaughter. 

"  Hard  to  feel  the  stranger's  scoff, 
Hard  the  old  friend's  falling  off, 

Hard  to  learn  forgiving ; 
But  the  Lord  his  own  rewards, 
And  his  love  with  theirs  accords, 

Warm  and  fresh  and  living. 

i  Jewry:  Jwiea.  -  Thrall:  captivity.  "Keeve:  sheriff. 

4  Snooded:  having  the  hair  bound  with  a  fillet  or  ribbon. 


BARCLAY   OF   URY.  237 

"  Through  this  dark  and  stormy  night 
Faith  beholds  a  feeble  light 

Up  the  blackness  streaking ; 
Knowing  God's  own  time  is  best, 
In  a  patient  hope  I  rest 

For  the  full  day-breaking !  " 

t^c  yf:  ■?(&  *  "%• 

John  Greenleaf  Whittier 


238  HEROIC    BALLADS. 


THE   LORD    OF   BUTRAGO.1 

1385. 

"Your,  horse  is  faint,  my  King  —  my  lord!  your  gallant 

horse  is  sick  — 
His  limbs  are  torn,  his  breast  is  gored,  on  his  eye  the 

film  is  thick ; 
Mount,  mount  on  mine,  oh,  mount  apace,2  I  pray  thee, 

mount  and  fly ! 
Or  in  mine  arms  111  lift  your  Grace  —  these  trampling 

hoofs  are  nigh ! 

"My  King  —  my  King!  you're  wounded  sore — the 
blood  runs  from  your  feet ; 

Rut  only  lay  a  hand  before,  and  I'll  Lift  you  to  your 
seat  : 

Mount,  Juan,3  for  they  gather  fast !  —  I  hear  their  com- 
ing cry  ; 

Mount,  mount,  and  ride  for  jeopardy4 — -111  save  you 
though  I  die ! 

"Stand,  noble  steed!  this  hour  of  need  —  be  gentle  ;i ; 
a  lamb : 

1  The  incident  which  is  related  in  the  following  ballad  is  supposed  to  have 
occurred  on  the  famous  field  of  Aljubarrota,  where  King  Juan  the  First, 
of  Castile,  was  defeated  by  the  Portuguese.  The  King,  who  was  at  the  time 
in  a  feeble  state  of  health,  exposed  himself  very  much  during  the  action ; 
and  being  wonnded,  had  great  difficulty  in  making  his  escape. 

2  Apace :  quickly. 

3  Juan    Spanish  pronunciation,  Hoo-an'  or  Wan. 

4  For  jeopardy:  on  account  of  the  peril. 


THE   LORD  OF   BUTRAGO.  239 

I'll  kiss  the  foam  from  off  thy  mouth,  thy  master  dear 

1  am. 
Mount,  Juan,  mount :  whate'er  betide,  away  the  bridle 

fling, 
And  plunge   the  rowels  in  his  side.     My  horse  shall 

save  my  king ! 

"  Nay,  never  speak ;  my  sires,  Lord  King,  received  their 

land  from  yours, 
And  joyfully  their  blood  shall  spring,  so  be  it  thine 

secures ; 
If  I  should  fly,  and  thou,  my  King,  be  found  among  the 

dead, 
How  could  I  stand  'mong  gentlemen,  such  scorn  on  my 

gray  head  ? 

"  Castile's  proud  dames  shall  never  point  the  finger  of 
disdain, 

And  say  there's  one  that  ran  away  when  our  good 
lords  were  slain  ! 

I  leave  Diego J  in  your  care  —  you'll  fill  his  father's 
place  : 

Strike,  strike  the  spur,  and  never  spare  —  God's  bless- 
ing on  your  Grace  ! '' 

So  spake  the  brave  Montanez,  Butrago's  lord  was  he, 
And  turned  him  to  the  coming  host  in  steadfastness  and 

glee. 
lie  flung  himself  among  them,  as  they  came  down  the 

hill ; 
He  died,  God  wot ! 2  but  not  before  his  sword  had  drunk 

its  fill. 

J.    G.    LOCKIIART. 
Translated  from  the  Spanish. 

1  Diego:   Span  ish  pronunciation,  De-a'go.  -Wot:  knows. 


240  HEROIC   BALLADS. 


THE   CAVALIER'S   ESCAPE.1 


Trample  !  trample  !  went  the  roan, 

Trap  !  trap  !  went  the  gray ; 
But  pad!  pad!  pad!  like  a  thing  that  was  mad, 

My  chestnut  broke  away. 
It  was  just  five  miles  from  Salisbury  2  town, 

And  but  one  hour  to  day. 

Thud  !  thud  !  came  on  the  heavy  roan, 

Rap  !  rap  !  the  mettled  gray  ; 
But  my  chestnut  mare  was  of  blood  so  rare, 

That  she  showed  them  all  the  way. 
Spur  on  !  spur  on  !  —  I  doffed  my  hat, 

And  wished  them  all  good-day. 

They  splashed  through  miry  rut  and  pool,  — 

Splintered  through  fence  and  rail ; 
But  chestnut  Kate  switched  over  the  gate,  — 

I  saw  them  droop  and  tail. 
To  Salisbury  town  —  but  a  mile  of  down,3 

Once  over  this  brook  and  rail. 


1  An  incident  of  the  Civil  W;tr  in  England  between  Charles  I.  and  Par- 
liament. The  cavaliers  were  on  the  royalist  side.  Here  one  of  their 
number  escapes,  thanks  t<>  his  good  horse,  from  a  band  of  "  Roundheads" 

of  the  Parliamentary  parly. 

-  Salisbury:  a  noted  cathedral  town  of  Southern  England. 
3  Down:  see  note  11,  p.  55. 


THE   CAVALIER'S   ESCAPE.  241 

Trap  !  trap  !  I  heard  their  echoing  hoofs 

Past  the  walls  of  mossy  stone  ; 
The  roan  flew  on  at  a  staggering  pace, 

But  blood  is  better  than  bone. 
I  patted  old  Kate,  and  gave  her  the  spur, 

For  I  knew  it  was  all  my  own. 

But  trample  !  trample  !  came  their  steeds, 

And  I  saw  their  wolfs  eyes  burn ; 
I  felt  like  a  royal  hart  at  bay, 

And  made  me  ready  to  turn. 
I  looked  where  highest  grew  the  May,1 

And  deepest  arched  the  fern. 

I  flew  at  the  first  knave's  sallow  throat ; 

One  blow,  and  he  was  down. 
The  second  rogue  fired  twice,  and  missed : 

I  sliced  the  villain's  crown, — 
Clove  through  the  rest,  and  flogged  brave  Kate, 

Fast,  fast  to  Salisbury  town! 

Pad !  pad  !  they  came  on  the  level  sward, 

Thud  !  thud  !  upon  the  sand,  — 
With  a  gleam  of  swords  and  a  burning  match,2 

And  a  shaking  of  flag  and  hand ; 
But  one  long  bound,  and  I  passed  the  gate, 

Safe  from  the  canting 3  band. 

Walter  Thornburt. 

1  May :  the  hawthorn. 

2  Match :  a  slow-match  kept  hurning  to  discharge  the  guns  then  in  use, 
neither  flint  nor  percussion  locks  having  been  invented. 

3  Canting :  hypocritical ;   a  term  of  reproach  given  to  the  Puritan  or 
"  Roundhead  "  party. 


242  HEROIC   BALLADS. 


SONG   OF  MARION'S   MEN. 
1780-1781. 

Our  band  is  few,  but  true  and  tried, 

Our  leader  frank  and  bold ; 
The  British  soldier  trembles 

When  Marion's  :  name  is  told. 
Our  fortress  is  the  good  greenwood, 

Our  tent  the  cypress-tree  ; 
We  know  the  forest  round  us, 

As  seamen  know  the  sea; 
We  know  its  walks  of  thorny  vines, 

Jts  glades  2  of  reedy  grass, 
.Its  safe  and  silent  islands 

Within  the  dark  morass. 

\V<>e  to  the  English  soldiery 

That  little  dread  us  near ! 
On  them  shall  light  at  midnight 

A  strange  and  sudden  fear  ; 
When,  waking  to  their  tents  on  fire, 

They  grasp  their  arms  in  vain, 

1  Marion  :  General  Francis  Marion,  a  hero  of  the  American  Revolution. 
He  was  born  in  South  Carolina  and  was  of  Huguenot  descent.  When  the 
Hritish  besieged  Charleston,  Marion  raised  a  force  of  twenty  followers,  and 
kept  up  a  three  years'  warfare  which  rendered  great  service  to  the  cause 
of  liberty.  His  epitaph  states  with  entire  truth,  that  "He  lived  without 
fear,  and  died  without  reproach." 

-Glades:  here,  a  contraction  of  cverclados :  a  low,  marshy  tract  of 
country  interspersed  with  land  covered  with  high  grass. 


SONG   OF   MARION'S   MEN.  243 

And  they  who  stand  to  face  us 

Are  beat  to  earth  again  ; 
And  they  who  fly  in  terror  deem 

A  mighty  host  behind, 
And  hear  the  tramp  of  thousands 

Upon  the  hollow  wind. 

Then  sweet  the  hour  that  brings  release 

From  danger  and  from  toil ; 
We  talk  the  battle  over, 

And  share  the  battle's  spoil. 
The  woodland  rings  with  laugh  and  shout, 

As  if  a  hunt  were  up, 
And  woodland  flowers  are  gathered 

To  crown  the  soldier's  cup. 
With  merry  songs  we  mock  the  wind 

That  in  the  pine-top  grieves, 
And  slumber  long  and  sweetly 

On  beds  of  oaken  leaves. 

Well  knows  the  fair  and  friendly  moon 

The  band  that  Marion  leads  — 
The  glitter  of  their  rifles, 

The  scampering  of  their  steeds. 
'Tis  life  to  guide  the  fiery  barb  1 

Across  the  moonlight  plain  ; 
'Tis  life  to  feel  the  night-wind 

That  lifts  his  tossing  mane. 
A  moment  in  the  British  camp  — 

A  moment  —  and  away, 
Back  to  the  pathless  forest, 

Before  the  peep  of  day. 

1  Barb:  a  horse  remarkable  for  speed  and  spirit. 


244  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

Grave  men  there  are  by  broad  San  tee,1 

Grave  men  with  hoary  hairs  ; 
Their  hearts  are  all  with  Marion, 

For  Marion  are  their  prayers. 
And  lovely  ladies  greet  our  band, 

With  kindest  welcoming, 
With  smiles  like  those  of  summer, 

And  tears  like  those  of  spring. 
For  them  we  wear  these  trusty  arms, 

And  lay  them  down  no  more 
Till  we  have  driven  the  Briton, 

Forever,  from  our  shore. 

William  Ccllen  Bryant. 

1  Santee  :  the  Sautee  River. 


ABRAHAM   LINCOLN.  245 


ABRAHAM   LINCOLN. 


Oh,  slow  to  smite  and  swift  to  spare, 

Gentle  and  merciful  and  just ! 
Who,  in  the  fear  of  God,  didst  bear 

The  sword  of  power  —  a  nation's  trust. 

In  sorrow  by  thy  bier  we  stand, 

Amid  the  awe  that  hushes  all, 
And  speak  the  anguish  of  a  land 

That  shook  with  horror  at  thy  fall. 

Thy  task  is  done  —  the  bond  are  free  ; 

We  bear  thee  to  an  honored  grave, 
Whose  noblest  monument  shall  be 

The  broken  fetters  of  the  slave. 

Pure  was  thy  life  ;  its  bloody  close 

Hath  placed  thee  with  the  sons  of  light, 

Among  the  noble  host  of  those 

Who  perished  in  the  cause  of  right. 

William  Cullen  Bryant. 


246  HEROIC   BALLADS. 


HOW   HE   SAVED   ST.   MICHAEL'S. 


It  was  long  ago  it  happen'cl,  ere  ever  the  signal  gnn 
That  blazed  above  Fort  Sumter  had  waken'd  the  North 

as  one ; 1 
Long  ere  the  wonderous  pillar  of  battle-cloud  and  fire 
Had  mark'd  where  the  unchain'd  millions  march' d  on  to 

their  heart's  desire. 

On  the  roofs  and  the  glittering  turrets,  that  night,  as 

the  sun  went  down, 
The  mellow  glow  of  the  twilight  shone  like  a  jewell'd 

crown ; 
And,  bathed  in  the  living  glory,  as  the  people  lifted 

their  eyes, 
They  saw  the  pride  of  the  city,  the  spire  of  St.  Michael's,2 

rise. 

High  over  the  lesser  steeples,  tipp'd  with  a  golden  ball, 

That  hung  like  a  radiant  planet  caught  in  its  earthward 
fall,  — 

First  glimpse  of  home  to  the  sailor  who  made  the  harbor- 
round, 

And  last  slow-fading  vision  dear  to  the  outward  bound. 

1  Before  the  Civil  War,  which  began  in  1801  with  the  attack  of  the  South 
on  Fort  Sumter,  in  Charleston  harbor,  the  fort  being  then  garrisoned  by 
United  States  troops. 

2  St.  Michael's:  this  church  is  considered  the  finest  in  Charleston;  it 
has  a  spire  of  remarkable  beauty. 


HOW   HE   SAVED   ST.   MICHAEL'S.  247 

The  gently  gathering  shadows   shut  out   the  waning 

light ; 
The  children  pray'd  at  their  bedsides,  as  you  will  pray 

to-night ; 
The  noise  of  buyer  and  seller  from  the  busy  mart  was 

gone ; 
And  in  dreams  of  a  peaceful  morrow  the  city  slumber'd 

on. 

But  another  light  than  sunrise  aroused  the  sleeping 
street ; 

For  a  cry  was  heard  at  midnight,  and  the  rush  of  tram- 
pling feet ; 

Men  stared  in  each  other's  faces  through  mingled  fire 
and  smoke, 

While  the  frantic  bells  went  clashing,  clamorous  stroke 
on  stroke. 

By  the  glare  of   her   blazing  roof-tree *  the   houseless 

mother  fled, 
With  the  babe  she  press'd  to  her  bosom  shrieking  in 

nameless  dread, 
While  the  fire-king's   wild  battalions  scaled  wall  and 

capstone  high, 
And  planted  their  flaring  banners  against  an  inky  sky. 

From  the  death  that  raged  behind  them,  and  the  crash 

of  ruin  loud, 
To  the  great  square  of  the  city  was  driven  the  surging 

crowd ; 

1  Roof-tree  :  the  beam  in  the  angle  of  a  roof ;  hence  the  roof  itself. 


248  HEROIC  BALLADS. 

Where  yet,  firm  in  all  the   tumult,  unscathed  by  the 

fiery  flood, 
With  its  heavenward-pointing  linger  the  Church  of  St. 

Michael  stood. 

But  e'en  as  they  gazed  upon  it  there  rose  a  sudden 

wail,  — 
A  cry  of  horror,  blended  with  the  roaring  of  the  gale, 
On  whose  scorching  wings  up-driven,  a  single  flaming 

brand 
Aloft  on  the  towering  steeple  clung  like  a  bloody  hand. 

"Will  it  fade?"  The  whisper  trembled  from  a  thou- 
sand whitening  lips ; 

Far  out  on  the  lurid  harbor  they  watched  it  from  the 
ships,  — 

A  baleful1  gleam  that  brighter  and  ever  brighter  shone, 

Like  a  flickering,  trembling  will-o'-wisp 2  to  a  steady 
beacon  grown. 

"  Uncounted  gold  shall  be  given  to  the  man  whose 
brave  right  hand, 

For  the  love  of  the  perill'd  city,  plucks  down  yon  burn- 
ing brand ! " 

So  cried  the  mayor  of  Charleston,  that  all  the  people 
heard ; 

But  they  look'd  each  one  at  his  fellow;  and  no  man 
spoke  a  word. 

1  Baleful :  fraught  with  evil;  threatening 

-Will-o'-wisp:  a  flickering,  moving  light  seen  at  times  in  marshy 
places  and  church-yards.  It  is  supposed  to  be  the  result  of  animal  and 
vegetable  decomposition. 


HOW   HE    SAVED    ST.  MICHAEL'S.  249 

Who  is  it  leans  from  the  belfry,  with  face  upturn'd  to 
the  sky, 

Clings  to  a  column,  and  measures  the  dizzy  spire  with 
his  eye? 

Will  he  dare  it,  the  hero  undaunted,  that  terrible,  sick- 
ening height? 

Or  will  the  hot  blood  of  his  courage  freeze  in  his  veins 
at  the  sight  ? 

But  see  !  he  has  stepp'd  on  the  railing;  he  climbs  with 
his  feet  and  his  hands ; 

And  firm  on  a  narrow  projection,  with  the  belfry  be- 
neath him,  he  stands ; 

Now  once,  and  once  only,  they  cheer  him,  —  a  single 
tempestuous  breath,  — 

And  there  falls  on  the  multitude  gazing  a  hush  like  the 
stillness  of  death. 

Slow,  steadily  mounting,  unheeding  aught  save  the  goal 

of  the  fire, 
Still  higher  and  higher,  an  atom,  he  moves  on  the  face 

of  the  spire. 
He  stops  !     Will  he  fall  ?     Lo  !  for  answer,  a  gleam  like 

a  meteor's  track, 
And,  hurl'd  on  the  stones  of  the  pavement,  the  red 

brand  lies  shatter'd  and  black. 

Once  more  the  shouts  of  the  people  have  rent  the  quiv- 
ering air : 

At  the  church-door  mayor  and  council  wait  with  their 
feet  on  the  stair ; 


250  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

And  the  eager  throng  behind  them  press  for  a  touch  of 

his  hand,  — 
The  unknown  hero,  whose  daring  could  compass  a  deed 

so  grand. 

But  why  does  a  sudden  tremor  seize  on  them  while  they 

gaze? 
And  what  meaneth  that  stifled  murmur  of  wonder  and 

amaze  ? 
He  stood  in  the  gate  of  the  temple  he  had  perill'd  his 

life  to  save ; 
And  the  face  of  the  hero  undaunted  was  the  sable  face 

of  a  slave. 

With  folded  arms  he  was  speaking,  in  tones  that  were 

clear,  not  loud, 
And  his  eyes,  ablaze  in  their  sockets,  burnt  into  the 

eyes  of  the  crowd : 
"You  may  keep  your  gold;  I  scorn  it!  —  but  answer 

me,  ye  who  can, 
If  the  deed  I  have  done  before  you  be  not  the  deed  of 

a  man  ?  " 

He  stepp'd  but  a  short  space  backward ;  and  from  all 

the  women  and  men 
There  were  only  sobs  for  answer ;  and  the  mayor  call'd 

for  a  pen, 
And  the  great  seal  of  the  city,  that  he  might  read  who 

ran : 
And  the  slave  who  saved  St.  Michael's  went  out  from 

its  door,  a  man. 

Mary  A.  P.  Stansbury. 


CURFEW   MUST  NOT  RING  TO-NIGHT.  251 


CURFEW   MUST   NOT   RING   TO-NIGHT. 


England's  sun  was  slowly  setting  o'er  the  hills  so  far 

away, 
Filling  all  the  land  with  beauty  at  the  close  of  one  sad 

day; 
And  the  last  rays  kiss'd  the  forehead  of  a  man  and 

maiden  fair, 
He  with  step  so  slow  and  weaken'd,  she  with  sunny, 

floating  hair ; 
He  with  sad  bow'd  head,  and  thoughtful,  she  with  lips 

so  cold  and  white, 
Struggling  to  keep  back  the  murmur,  "  Curfew 1  must 

not  ring  to-night." 

"  Sexton,"  —  Bessie's  white  lips  falter'd,  pointing  to  the 

prison  old, 
With  its  walls  so  dark  and  gloomy,  walls  so  dark  and 

damp  and  cold,  — 
"  I've  a  lover  in  that  prison,  doom'd  this  very  night  to 

die 
At  the  ringing  of  the  Curfew,  and  no  earthly  help  is 

niph. 


1  Curfew  (French  couvre-feu,  cover-fire) :  a  bell  formerly  rung  in  Eng- 
land in  the  evening  as  a  signal  to  the  inhabitants  to  rake  the  ashes  over 
their  fires  and  retire  to  rest.  The  curfew  is  still  rung  in  some  parts  of 
England,  but  no  longer  for  its  original  purpose. 


252  HEROIC  BALLADS. 

Cromwell 1  will  not  come  till  sunset " ;    and  her  face 

grew  strangely  white, 
As  she  spoke  in  husky  whispers,  "  Curfew  must  not  ring 

to-night." 

"  Bessie,"  calmly  spoke  the  sexton,  —  every  word  pierced 

her  young  heart 
Like  a  thousand  gleaming  arrows,  like  a  deadly  poison'd 

dart,  — 
"  Long,  long  years  I've  rung  the  Curfew  from  that  gloomy 

shadow'd  tower ; 
Every  evening,  just  at  sunset,  it  has  told  the  twilight 

hour ; 
I  have  done  my  duty  ever,  tried  to  do  it  just  and  right ; 
Now  I'm  old,  I  will  not  miss  it ;  girl,  the  Curfew  rings 

to-night ! " 

Wild  her  eyes  and  pale  her  features,  stern  and  white 

her  thoughtful  brow, 
And  within  her  heart's  deep  centre  Bessie  made  a  solemn 

vow: 
She  had  listen'd  while  the  judges  read,  without  a  tear 

or  sigh, 
"  At  the  ringing  of  the  Curfew  Basil  Underwood  mast 

die." 
And  her  breath  came  fast  and  faster,  and  her  eyes  grew 

large  and  bright,  — 
One  low  murmur,  scarcely  spoken,  "  Curfew  must  not 

ring  to-night ! " 

1  Cromwell:  Oliver  Cromwell,  "  Protector,"  a  ruler  of  England  1G54  to 
1G5S.    He  was  one  of  the  great  leaders  in  the  English  Civil  War. 


CURFEW  MUST  NOT  RING  TO-NIGHT.  253 

She  with  light  step  bounded  forward,  sprang  within  the 

old  church-door, 
Left  the  old  man  coming  slowly,  paths  he'd  trod  so  oft 

before ; 
Not  one  moment  paused  the  maiden,  but,  with  cheek 

and  brow  aglow, 
Stagger'd  up  the  gloomy  tower,  where  the  bell  swung 

to  and  fro : 
Then  she  climb' d  the  slippery  ladder,  dark,  without  one 

ray  of  light, 
Upward  still,  her  pale  lips  saying,  "Curfew  must  not 

ring  to-night." 

She  has  reach'd  the  topmost  ladder,  o'er  her  hangs  the 

great  dark  bell, 
And  the  awful  gloom  beneath  her,  like  the  pathway 

down  to  Hell ; 
See,  the  ponderous  tongue  is  swinging,  'tis  the  hour  of 

Curfew  now ; 
And  the  sight  has  chilled  her  bosom,  stopp'd  her  breath 

and  paled  her  brow. 
Shall  she  let  it  ring  ?     No,  never !  her  eyes  flash  with 

sudden  light, 
As  she  springs  and  grasps  it  firmly,  "  Curfew  shall  not 

ring  to-night ! " 

Out  she  swung,  far.  out ;  the  city  seem'd  a  tiny  speck 

below ; 
There  'twixt  heaven  and  earth  suspended,  as  the  bell 

swung  to  and  fro  ; 
And  the  half-deaf   sexton  ringing,  (years  he  had  not 

heard  the  bell,) 


254  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

And  lie  thought  the  twilight  Curfew  rang  young  Basil's 

funeral  knell : 
Still  the  maiden  clinging  firmly,  cheek  and  brow  so  pale 

and  white, 
Still'd  her  frighten'd  heart's  wild  beating,  "  Curfew  shall 

not  ring  to-night." 

It  was  o'er ;  the  bell  ceased  swaying,  and  the  maiden 
stepp'd  once  more 

Firmly  on  the  damp  old  ladder,  where  for  hundred 
years  before 

Human  foot  had  not  been  planted ;  and  what  she  this 
night  had  done 

Should  be  told  in  long  years  after :  as  the  rays  of  set- 
ting sun 

Lit  the  sky  with  mellow  beauty,  aged  *  sires,  with  heads 
of  white, 

Tell  their  children  why  the  Curfew  did  not  ring  that 
one  sad  night. 

O'er  the  distant  hills  came  Cromwell ;  Bessie  saw  him, 

and  her  brow, 
Lately  white  with  sickening  terror,  glows  with  sudden 

beauty  now : 
At  his  feet  she  told  her  story,  show'd  her  hands  all 

bruised  and  torn ; 
And  her  sweet  young  face  so  haggard,  with  a  look  so 

sad  and  worn, 
Touch'd  his  heart  with  sudden  pity,  lit  his  eyes  with 

misty  light: 
"  Go,  your  lover  lives  !  "  cried  Cromwell ;  "  Curfew  shall 

not  ring  to-night." 

1  Aged  :  to  be  pronounced  in  two  syllables,  —  a'f/ed. 


CURFEW   MUST  NOT  RING   TO-NIGHT.  255 

Wide  they  flung  the  massive  portals,  led  the  prisoner 
forth  to  die, 

All  his  bright  young  life  before  him.     'Neath  the  dark- 
ening English  sky, 

Bessie  came  with  flying  footsteps,  eyes  aglow  with  love- 
light  sweet ; 

Kneeling  on  the  turf  beside  him,  laid  Ins  pardon  at  his 
feet. 

In  his  brave,  strong  arms  he  clasp'd  her,  kiss'd  the  face 
upturn'd  and  white, 

Whisper'd,  "  Darling,  you  have  saved  me  ;  Curfew  must 
not  ring  to-night." 

Rose  A.  Hartwick  Thorpe. 


256  HEROIC   BALLADS. 


THE   LOSS    OF   THE   BIRKENHEAD.1 

Supposed  to  be  narrated  by  a  Soldier  who  survived. 

Right  on  our  flank  the  crimson  sun  went  down, 

The  deep  sea  rolled  around  in  dark  repose, 
When,  like  the  wild  shriek  from  some  captured  town, 
A  cry  of  women  rose. 

The  stout  ship  Birkenhead  lay  hard  and  fast, 
Caught,  without  hope,  upon  a  hidden  rock ; 
Her  timbers    thrilled   as   nerves,  when   through   them 
passed 

The  spirit  of  that  shock. 

And  ever  like  base  cowards,  who  leave  their  ranks 

In  danger's  hour,  before  the  rush  of  steel, 
Drifted  away,  disorderly,  the  planks 

From  underneath  her  keel. 

Confusion  spread,  for,  though  the  coast  seemed  near, 

Sharks  hovered  thick  along  that  white  sea-brink. 
The  boats  could  hold?  —  not  all ;  and  it  was  clear 
She  was  about  to  sink. 

1  The  Birkenhead  :  an  English  war-steamer  was  wrecked  on  a  reef  on 
the  African  coast  in  1S52.  She  had  on  board,  her  crew,  one  hundred 
and  thirty-two  in  number,  and  about  five  hundred  other  persons  consisting 
of  soldiers  with  their  wives  and  children.  The  women  and  children  were 
sent  off  in  the  boats.  The  men  remained  on  hoard  to  face  almost  certain 
death.  Many  of  them  were  young  soldiers  who  had  been  but  a  short  time 
in  the  service,  but  they  were  as  patient  and  resolute  as  veterans.  All  of 
these  brave  men  were  swept  into  the  sea  by  the  waves,  and  nearly  all  were 
lost.    They  died  that  others  might  live. 


THE   LOSS   OF   THE   BIRKENHEAD.  257 

"  Out  with  those  boats,  and  let  us  haste  away," 

Cried  one,  "  ere  yet  yon  sea  the  bark  devours." 
The  man  thus  clamoring  was,  I  scarce  need  say, 
No  officer  of  ours. 

We  knew  our  duty  better  than  to  care 

For  such  loose  babblers,  and  made  no  reply, 
Till  our  good  colonel  gave  the  word,  and  there 
Formed  us  in  line  to  die. 

There  rose  no  murmur  from  the  ranks,  no  thought, 

By  shameful  strength,  unhonored  life  to  seek ; 
Our  post  to  quit  we  were  not  trained,  nor  taught 
To  trample  down  the  weak. 

So  we  made  women  with  their  children  go, 
The  oars  ply  back  again,  and  yet  again  ; 
Whilst,  inch  by  inch,  the  drowning  ship  sank  low, 
Still  under  steadfast  men. 

What  follows,  why  recall  ?     The  brave  who  died, 

Died  without  flinching  in  the  bloody  surf ; 
They  sleep  as  well,  beneath  that  purple  tide, 
As  others,  under  turf ;  — 

They  sleep  as  well,  and,  roused  from  their  wild  grave, 

Wearing  their  wounds  like  stars,  shall  rise  again, 
Joint-heirs  with  Christ,  because  they  bled  to  save 
His  weak  ones,  not  in  vain. 

If  that  day's  work  no  clasp 1  or  medal  mark, 

If  each  proud  heart  no  cross  of  bronze  2  may  press, 

1  Clasp  :  here,  a  decoration  of  honor. 

2  Cross  of  bronze :  a  cross  given  hy  Queen  Victoria  to  men  who  have 
distinguished  themselves  by  brave  deeds  in  battle  or  otherwise. 


258  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

Nor  cannon  thunder  loud  from  Tower  and  Park,1 
This  feel  we,  none  the  less : 

That  those  whom  God's  high  grace  there  saved  from  ill — 

Those  also,  left  His  martyrs  in  the  bay  — 
Though  not  by  siege,  though  not  in  battle,  still 
Full  Avell  had  earned  their  pay. 

Sir  Francis  Hastings  Doyle. 

1  Tower  and  Park :  the  Tower  of  London  and  Hyde  Park,  London, 
where  salutes  are  tired  in  honor  of  great  victories. 


THE   SONG   OF   THE   CAMP.  259 


THE   SONG   OF   THE   CAMP.1 


"  Give  us  a  song !  "  the  soldiers  cried, 

The  outer  trenches  guarding, 
When  the  heated  guns  of  the  camps  allied 

Grew  weary  of  bombarding. 

The  dark  Redan,2  in  silent  scoff, 
Lay,  grim  and  threatening,  under  ; 

And  the  tawny  mound  of  the  Malakoff  3 
No  longer  belched  its  thunder. 

There  was  a  pause.     A  guardsman  said : 

"  We  storm  the  forts  to-morrow ; 
Sing  while  we  may,  another  day 

Will  bring  enough  of  sorrow." 

They  lay  along  the  battery's  side, 

Below  the  smoking  cannon,  — 
Brave  hearts,  from  Severn  and  from  Clyde,4 

And  from  the  banks  of  Shannon.5 

They  sang  of  love,  and  not  of  fame ; 
Forgot  was  Britain's  glory  ; 

1  Song  of  the  Camp :   an  incident  of  the  English  and  French  siege  of 
the  Russian  stronghold  of  Sebastopol  in  the  Crimean  War,  1855. 

2  Redan :  a  Russian  fort.  4  Severn  and  Clyde  :  rivers  of  Britain. 

3  Malakoff:  a  Russian  fort.        5  Shannon  :  a  river  of  Ireland. 


2G0  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

Each  heart  recalled  a  different  name, 
But  all  sang  Annie  Laurie.1 

Voice  after  voice  caught  up  the  song, 

Until  its  tender  passion 
Rose  like  an  anthem,  rich  and  strong, 

Their  battle-eve  confession. 

Dear  girl,  her  name  he  dared  not  speak, 
But,  as  the  song  grew  louder, 

Something  upon  the  soldier's  cheek 
Washed  off  the  stains  of  powder. 

Beyond  the  darkening  ocean  burned 

The  bloody  sunset's  embers, 
While  the  Crimean  valleys  learned 

How  English  love  remembers. 

And  once  again  a  lire  of  hell 
Rained  on  the  Russian  quarters, 

With  scream  of  shot,  and  burst  of  shell, 
And  bellowing  of  the  mortars  ! 

1  Annie  Laurie:  a  famous  Scotch  soug,  beginning:  — 

"  Maxwelton  banks  are  bonnie, 
Where  early  fa's  the  dew; 
Where  me  and  Annie  Laurie 
Made  up  the  promise  true; 

Made  up  the  promise  true, 
And  never  forget  will  I; 

And  for  bonnie  Annie  Laurie 
I'll  lay  me  down  and  die." 

See  J.  T.  Fields,  British  Poetry. 


THE   SONG   OF   THE    CAMP.  261 

And  Irish  Nora's  eyes  are  dim 

For  a  singer,  dumb  and  gory  ; 
And  English  Mary  mourns  for  him 

Who  sang  of  Annie  Laurie. 

Sleep,  soldiers  !  still  in  honored  rest 

Your  truth  and  valor  wearing ; 
The  bravest  are  the  tenderest,  — 

The  loving  are  the  daring. 

Bayard  Taylor. 


262  HEROIC   BALLADS. 


THE    "REVENGE."1 

A  Ballad  of  the  Fleet. 

August,  1591. 

At  Flores  in  the  Azores,  Sir  Richard  Grenville  lay, 

And  a  pinnace,2  like  a  fluttered  bird,  came  flying  from 
far  away : 

"  Spanish  ships-of-war  at  sea !  we  have  sighted  fifty- 
three  ! " 

Then  sware  Lord  Thomas  Howard :  "  'Fore  3  God  I  am 
no  coward; 

But  I  cannot  meet  them  here,  for  my  ships  are  out  of 
gear, 

And  the  half  my  men  are  sick.  I  must  fly  but  follow 
quick. 

We  are  six  ships  of  the  line;4  can  we  fight  with  fifty- 
three?" 

1  During  the  war  between  Queen  Elizabeth  of  England  and  Philip  II.  of 
Spain,  Sir  Richard  Grenville,  commander  of  the  Revenge,  was  overtaken 
at  the  Azores  (1501)  by  fifty-three  Spanish  men-of-war,  several  of  them  of 
immense  size  and  carrying  a  great  number  of  heavy  guns.  The  Revenge 
was  a  small  vessel,  and  one  of  a  fleet  of  six.  Five  of  the  English  ships  fled 
from  so  unequal  and  hopeless  a  fight;  but  Grenville  refused  to  accompany 
them.  He  with  his  crew  fought  the  Spaniards  all  alone  all  the  afternoon 
and  following  night.  Finally  the  little  Revenge  could  hold  out  no  longer, 
and  the  enemy  took  the  ship.  Sir  Richard,  who  was  mortally  wounded,  was 
carried  on  board  of  one  of  the  Spanish  ships.  His  last  words  were,  "Here 
die  I,  Richard  Grenville,  with  a  joyful  and  quiet  mind;  for  I  have  ended 
my  life  as  a  good  soldier  ought  to  do,  who  has  fought  for  his  country  and 
bis  queen,  for  his  honor  and  religion." 

-Pinnace:  a  small  sailing-vessel.  3 'Fore  :  before. 

4  Ships  of  the  line  :  men-of-war  large  enough  to  take  their  place  in  line 
of  battle. 


THE   "REVENGE."  2G3 

Then  spake  Sir  Richard  Grenville :  "  I  know  you  are 

no  coward ; 
You  fly  them  for  a  moment  to  fight  with  them  again. 
But  I've  ninety  men  and  more  that  are  lying  sick  ashore. 
I  should  count  myself  the  coward  if  I  left  them,  my 

Lord  Howard, 
To    these    Inquisition  1   dogs    and   the   devildoms  2   of 

Spain." 

So  Lord  Howard  passed  away  with  five  ships  of  war 

that  day, 
Till  he  melted  like  a  cloud  in  the  silent  summer  heaven; 
But  Sir  Richard  bore  in  hand  all  his  sick  men  from  the 

land 
Very  carefully  and  slow, 
Men  of  Bideford  in  Devon,3 
And  we  laid  them  on  the  ballast  down  below ; 
For  we  brought  them  all  aboard, 
And  they  blest  him  in  their  pain,  that  they  were  not 

left  to  Spain, 
To  the  thumbscrew  4  and  the  stake,  for  the  glory  of  the 

Lord. 

lie  had  only  a  hundred  seamen  to  work  the  ship  and 
to  fight, 

1  Inquisition:  a  Roman  Catholic  tribunal  for  inquiring  into  and  punish- 
ing heresy.  It  was  established  in  1233.  It  was  most  active  in  Spain,  where 
multitudes  of  Mohammedans  and  Jews  secretly  practised  their  religion.  It 
never  obtained  a  real  foothold  in  Germany,  and  never  in  England,  though 
both  countries  were  formerly  Zealous  upholders  of  the  Catholic  faith.  The 
Inquisition  practically  ceased  to  exist,  even  in  Spain,  many  years  ago. 

2  Devildoms:  here,  cruelties. 

3  Devon:  Devonshire,  England. 

4  Thumbscrew  :  an  instrument  of  torture  for  crushing  the  thumbs. 


204  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

And  he  sailed  away  from  Flores  till  the  Spaniard  came 
in  sight, 

With  his  huge  sea-castles  *  heaving  upon  the  weather- 
bow.2 

"  Shall  we  fight  or  shall  we  fly  ? 

Good  Sir  Richard,  tell  us  now, 

For  to  fight  is  but  to  die  ! 

There'll  be  little  of  us  left  by  the  time  this  sun  be  set." 

And  Sir  Richard  said  again :  "  We  be  all  good  English- 
men. 

Let  us  bang  these  clogs  of  Seville,  the  children  of  the 
devil, 

For  I  never  turned  my  back  upon  don  3  or  devil  yet." 

Sir  Richard  spoke  and  he  laughed,  and  we  roared  a 
hurrah,  and  so 

The  little  Revenge  ran  on  sheer  into  the  heart  of  the 
foe, 

With  her  hundred  fighters  on  deck,  and  her  ninety  sick 
below ; 

For  half  of  their  fleet  to  the  right  and  half  to  the  left 
were  seen, 

And  the  little  Iievenje  run  on  through  the  long  sea- 
lane  between. 

Thousands   of   their  soldiers  looked   down  from  their 

decks  and  laughed, 
Thousands  of  their  seamen  made  mock  at  the  mad  little 

craft 

1  Sea-castles  :  tlic  Spanish  vessels  were  built  very  high  at  the  bow  and 
stern,  so  that  they  loomed  up  like  eastles. 

'-'  Weather-bow:  the  Bide  of  a  ship's  how  against  which  the  wind  strikes. 
8  Don  :  a  Spanish  title  like  our  Mr.,  but  here  equivalent  to  Spaniard. 


THE   "REVENGE."  265 

Running  on  and  on,  till  delayed 

By  their  mountain-like  San  Philip  that,  of  fifteen  hun- 
dred tons, 

And  up-shadowing  high  above  us  with  her  yawning 
tiers  of  guns, 

Took  the  breath  from  our  sails,  and  we  stayed. 

And  while  now  the  great  San  Philip  hung  above  us 
like  a  cloud, 

Whence  the  thunderbolt  will  fall 

Long  and  loud, 

Four  galleons  1  drew  away 

From  the  Spanish  fleet  that  day, 

And  two  upon  the  larboard2  and  two  upon  the  star- 
board 3  lay, 

And  the  battle-thunder4  broke  from  them  all. 

But  anon  the  great  San  Philip,  she  bethought  herself 
and  went, 

Having  that  within  her  womb  that  had  left  her  ill- 
content  ; 

And  the  rest  they  came  aboard  us,  and  they  fought  us 
hand  to  hand, 

For  a  dozen  times  they  came  with  their  pikes  and  mus- 
queteers,5 

And  a  dozen  times  we  shook  'em  off  as  a  dog  that 
shakes  his  ears, 

When  he  leaps  from  the  water  to  the  land. 

1  Galleons  :  large  vessels. 

2  Larboard :  the  left  side  of  a  ship. 

3  Starboard :  the  right  side  of  a  ship. 

4  Battle-thunder :  discharge  of  the  guns ;  broadsides. 

5  Musqueteers  :  men  armed  with  muskets. 


206  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

And  the  sun  went  down,  and  the  stars  came  out  far 

over  the  summer  sea, 
But  never  a  moment  ceased  the  fight  of  the  one  and 

the  fifty-three. 
Ship  after  ship,  the  whole  night  long,  their  high-built 

galleons  came, 
Ship  after  ship,  the  whole  night  long,  with  her  battle- 
thunder  and  flame ; 
Ship  after  ship,  the  whole  night  long,  drew  back  with 

her  dead  and  her  shame. 
For  some  were  sunk  and  many  were  shattered,  and  so 

could  fight  us  no  more  — 
God  of  battles,  was  ever  a  battle  like  this  in  the  world 

before  ? 

For  he  :  said  "  Fight  on  !  fight  on  !  " 

Though  his  vessel  was  all  but  a  wreck ; 

And  it  chanced  that,  when  half  of  the  summer  night 

was  gone, 
With  a  grisly  2  wound  to  be  drest,  he  had  left  the  deck, 
But  a  bullet  struck  him  that  was  dressing  it  suddenly 

dead, 
And  himself,  he  was  wounded  again  in  the  side  and  the 

head. 
And  he  said  "  Fight  on  !  fight  on  !  " 

And  the  night  went  down,  and  the  sun  smiled  out  far 

over  the  summer  sea, 
And  the  Spanish  fleet  with  broken  sides  lay  round  us 

all  in  a  ring ; 

1  He :  Sir  Richard.  2  Grisly  :  terrible. 


THE   "REVENGE."  267 

But  they  dared  not  touch  us  again,  for  they  feared  that 

we  still  could  sting, 
So  they  watched  what  the  end  would  be. 
And  we  had  not  fought  them  in  vain, 
But  in  perilous  plight  were  we, 
Seeing  forty  of  our  poor  hundred  were  slain, 
And  half  of  the  rest  of  us  maimed  for  life 
In  the  crash  of  the  cannonades  and  the  desperate  strife  ; 
And  the  sick  men  down  in  the  hold  were  most  of  them 

stark  and  cold, 
And  the  pikes  were  all  broken  or  bent,  and  the  powder 

was  all  of  it  spent ; 
And  the  masts  and   the    rigging  were  lying  over  the 

side ; 
But  Sir  Richard  cried  in  his  English  pride, 
"  We  have  fought  such  a  fight,  for  a  day  and  a  night, 
As  may  never  be  fought  again  ! 
We  have  won  great  glory,  my  men ! 
And  a  day  less  or  more 
At  sea  or  ashore, 
We  die  —  does  it  matter  when  ? 
Sink  me  the  ship,  Master  Gunner  —  sink  her,  split  her 

in  twain ! 
Fall  into  the  hands  of   God,  not   into   the   hands   of 

Spain!" 

And  the  gunner  said  "  Ay,  ay,"  but  the  seamen  made 

reply : 
"  We  have  children,  we  have  wives, 
And  the  Lord  hath  spared  our  lives. 
We  will  make  the  Spaniard  promise,  if  we  yield,  to  let 

us  go; 


268  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

We  shall  live  to  fight  again  and  to  strike  another  blow." 
And  the  lion 1  there  lay  dying,  and  they  yielded  to  the 
foe. 

And  the  stately  Spanish  men  to  their  flagship2  bore 

him  then, 
Where  they  laid  him   by   the    mast,  old  Sir   Richard 

caught  at  last, 
And  they  praised  him  to  his  face  with  their  courtly 

foreign  grace ; 
But  he  rose  upon  their  decks,  and  he  cried : 
"I   have  fought  for  Queen3  and   Faith  like  a  valiant 

man  and  true  ; 
I  have  only  done  my  duty  as  a  man  is  bound  to  do : 
With  a  joyful  spirit  I,  Sir  Richard  Grenville,  die  ! " 
And  he  fell  upon  their  decks,  and  he  died. 

And  they  stared  at  the  dead  that  had  been  so  valiant 

and  true, 
And  had  holden  the  power  and  glory  of  Spain  so  cheap 
That  he  dared  her  with  one  little  ship  and  his  English 

feAv; 
Was  he  devil  or  man  ?     He  was  devil  for  aught  they 

knew, 
But  they  sank  his  body  with  honor  down  into  the  deep, 
And  they  manned  the  Revenge  with  a  swarthier,  alien  4 

crew, 
And  away  she  sailed  with  her  loss  and  longed  for  her 

own ; 

1  The  lion :  Sir  Richard. 

2  Flagship:  the  ship  of  the  commander  of  the  Spanish  fleet. 

3  Queen  :  Queen  Elizabeth. 

4  Alien :  foreign ;  a  crew  of  Spaniards. 


THE    "REVENGE."  2G9 

When  a  wind  from  the  lands  they  had  ruined  awoke 
from  sleep, 

And  the  water  began  to  heave  and  the  weather  to  moan, 

And  or  ever  that  evening  ended,  a  great  gale  blew, 

And  a  wave  like  the  wave  that  is  raised  by  an  earth- 
quake grew, 

Till  it  smote  on  their  hulls  and  their  sails  and  their 
masts  and  their  flags, 

And  the  whole  sea  plunged  and  fell  on  the  shot-shat- 
tered navy  of  Spain, 

And  the  little  Revenge  herself  went  down  by  the  island 

crags, 

To  be  lost  evermore  in  the  main.1 

Alfred  Tennyson. 


i 


Main :  the  open  or  high  sea. 


270  HEROIC   BALLADS. 


THE   EVE   OF  WATERLOO.1 


There  was  a  sound  of  revelry  by  night, 

And  Belgium's  capital  had  gathered  then 
Her  beauty  and  her  chivalry,  and  bright 

The  lamps  shone  o'er  fair  women  and  brave  men. 
A  thousand  hearts  beat  happily ;  and  when 

Music  arose  with  its  voluptuous  swell, 
Soft  eyes  looked  love  to  eyes  which  spake  again, 

And  all  went  merry  as  a  marriage  bell ; 

But  hush !  hark !  a  deep  sound  strikes  like  a  rising 
knell ! 

Did  ye  not  hear  it  ?  —  No  ;  'twas  but  the  wind, 
Or  the  car  2  rattling  o'er  the  stony  street ; 

1  The  battle  of  Waterloo  was  fought  on  Sunday,  June  18, 1815,  at  Water- 
loo, near  Brussels. 

The  opposing  forces  were  those  of  Napoleon  on  the  one  side,  and  the 
allied  English  and  Prussian  armies  under  Wellington  and  Blucher  (Bloo'ker) 
on  the  other. 

The  battle  resulted  in  a  decisive  victory  for  the  allies,  and  the  final 
downfall  of  Napoleon,  who  was  not  long  after  banished  to  St.  Helena,  where 
he  died. 

Three  nights  before  the  battle  the  Duchess  of  Richmond  gave  a  ball  in 
Brussels  at  which  the  Duke  of  Wellington  is  said  to  have  been  present. 

Wellington  received  news  of  the  advance  of  the  French  on  that  evening, 
June  15,  but  the  information  was  kept  secret  in  order  not  to  alarm  the 
people  of  Brussels.  In  the  course  of  the  evening,  the  Duke  sent  many  of 
his  officers  from  the  ball-room  to  their  posts,  and  he  eventually  lollowed 
t lii-m  to  prepare  for  the  great  battle. 

*  Car:  here,  poetically  used  of  any  vehicle. 


THE   EVE   OF   WATERLOO.  271 

On  with  the  dance  !  let  joy  be  unconfinecl ; 

No  sleep  till  morn,  when  youth  and  pleasure  meet 
To  chase  the  glowing  hours  with  flying  feet. 

But  hark  !  —  that  heavy  sound  breaks  in  once  more, 
As  if  the  clouds  its  echo  would  repeat ; 

And  nearer,  clearer,  deadlier  than  before  ; 

Arm  !  arm  !  it  is  —  it  is  —  the  cannon's  opening  roar  I 

Within  a  windowed  niche  of  that  high  hall * 

Sate  Brunswick's  fated  chieftain ; 2  he  did  hear 
That  sound  the  first  amidst  the  festival, 

And  caught  its  tone  with  death's  prophetic  ear ; 

And  when  they  smiled  because  he  deemed  it  near, 
His  heart  more  truly  knew  that  peal  too  well 

Which  stretched  his  father  on  a  bloody  bier, 
And  roused  the  vengeance  blood  alone  could  quell ; 
He  rushed  into  the  field,  and,  foremost  fighting,  fell. 

Ah !  then  and  there  was  hurrying  to  and  fro, 

And  gathering  tears,  and  tremblings  of  distress, 
And  cheeks  all  pale,  which,  but  an  hour  ago, 

Blushed  at  the  praise  of  their  own  loveliness. 

And  there  were  sudden  partings,  such  as  press 
The  life  from  out  young  hearts,  and  choking  sighs 

Which  ne'er  might  be  repeated ;  who  would  guess 
If  ever  more  should  meet  those  mutual  eyes, 
Since  upon  night  so  sweet  such  awful  morn  could  rise ! 

i  The  hall :  the  hall  where  the  hall  was  given  is  no  longer  standing.  It 
was  near  the  centre  of  the  modern  city  of  Brussels. 

-  Brunswick's  fated  chieftain:  Frederick  William,  the  German  Duke 
of  Brunswick;  he  fought  with  the  allies,  and  was  killed  in  the  battle  of 
Quatre  Bras,  June  16,  two  days  before  the  great  and  final  battle  of  Waterloo. 


272  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

And  there  was  mounting  in  hot  haste ;  the  steed, 

The  mustering  squadron,  and  the  clattering  car, 
Went  pouring  forward  with  impetuous  speed, 

And  swiftly  forming  in  the  ranks  of  war ; 

And  the  deep  thunder,  peal  on  peal  afar ; 
And  near,  the  beat  of  the  alarming  drum 

Roused  up  the  soldier  ere  the  morning  star ; 
While  thronged  the  citizens  with  terror  dumb, 
Or  whispering,  with  white  lips  —  "  The  foe  !  they  come  ! 
they  come ! " 

Lord  Byron  (from  Childe  Harold). 


HOHENLINDEN.  273 


HOHENLINDEN. 


On  Linden  2  when  the  sun  was  low, 
All  bloodless  lay  the  untrodden  snow, 
And  dark  as  winter  was  the  flow 
Of  Iser,3  rolling  rapidly. 

But  Linden  saw  another  sight 
When  the  drum  beat,  at  dead  of  night, 
Commanding  fires  of  death  to  light 
The  darkness  of  her  scenery. 

By  torch  and  trumpet  fast  arrayed 
Each  horseman  drew  his  battle  blade, 
And  furious  eveiy  charger  neighed, 
To  join  the  dreadful  revelry. 

Then  shook  the  hills  with  thunder  riven, 
Then  rushed  the  steed  to  battle  driven, 
And  louder  than  the  bolts  of  heaven 
Far  flashed  the  red  artillery. 

i  Hohenlinden :  this  is  a  little  village  of  Upper  Bavaria  situated  in  a 
pine  forest  on  the  river  Iser,  about  twenty  miles  from  Munich.  Here  in 
December,  1800,  the  combined  French  and  Bavarian  forces  under  General 
Moreau,  representing  Napoleon,  gained  a  decisive  victory  over  the  Aus- 
trians.  The  battle  was  fought  in  the  forest,  in  the  midst  of  a  snowstorm 
so  blinding  that  it  is  said  that  the  armies  could  only  see  each  other  by  the 
flash  of  their  guns. 

The  Austrian  ruler  was  obliged  to  accept  such  terms  of  peace  as  Napo- 
leon saw  fit  to  offer,  as  the  only  means  of  saving  his  capital  of  Vienna. 

2  Linden  :  a  contraction  of  Hohenlinden.  3  Iser  (Ee'zer). 


274  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

And  redder  yet  those  fires  shall  glow 
On  Linden's  hills  of  blood-stained  snow, 
And  darker  yet  shall  be  the  flow 
Of  Iser,  rolling  rapidly. 

'Tis  morn,  but  scarce  yon  lurid *  sun 
Can  pierce  the  war-clouds,  rolling  dun, 
Where  furious  Frank2  and  fiery  Hun3 
Shout  in  their  sulphurous  canopy. 

The  combat  deepens.     On,  ye  brave, 
Who  rush  to  glory,  or  the  grave ! 
Wave,  Munich,4  all  thy  banners  wave ! 
And  charge  with  all  thy  chivalry  ! 

Ah  !  few  shall  part  where  many  meet ! 

The  snow  shall  be  their  winding-sheet, 

And  every  turf  beneath  their  feet 

Shall  be  a  soldier's  sepulchre. 

Thomas  Campbell. 

1  Lurid  :  pale  yellow,  dismal. 

2  Frank :  here,  a  name  given  to  the  French. 

3  Hun:  here,  applied  to  the  Austrians. 

4  Munich  (Mu'nik)  :  the  capital  of  Bavaria. 


THE   HAPPY   WARRIOR.  27i 


THE   HAPPY   WARRIOR. 


Who  is  the  happy  warrior  ?  who  is  he 
Whom  every  man  in  arms  should  wish  to  be  ? 

*  *  *  ^*  t|&  3jt 

—  'Tis  he  whose  law  is  reason ;  who  depends 
Upon  that  law  as  on  the  best  of  friends ; 

****** 

—  Who,  if  he  rise  to  station  of  command, 
Rises  by  open  means ;  and  there  will  stand 
On  honorable  terms,  or  else  retire, 

And  in  himself  possess  his  own  desire ; 
Who  comprehends  his  trust,  and  to  the  same 
Keeps  faithful  with  a  singleness  of  aim ; 
And  therefore  does  not  stoop,  nor  lie  in  wait 
For  wealth,  or  honors,  or  for  worldly  state : 
Whom  they  must  follow ;  on  whose  head  must  fall, 
Like  showers  of  manna,  if  they  come  at  all. 

«!&  ifc  7F  9(6  T&  ~fc 

Who  if  he  be  called  upon  to  face 

Some  awful  moment  to  which  Heaven  has  joined 

Great  issues,  good  or  bad  for  human  kind, 

Is  happy  as  a  lover ;  and  attired 

With  sudden  brightness  like  a  man  inspired ; 

And  through  the  heat  of  conflict,  keeps  the  law 

In  calmness  made,  and  sees  what  he  foresaw  .* 


276  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

Or  if  an  unexpected  call  succeed, 
Come  when  it  will,  is  equal  to  the  need : 


Who,  whether  praise  of  him  must  walk  the  earth 
Forever,  and  to  noble  deeds  give  birth, 
Or  he  must  go  to  dust  without  his  fame, 
And  leave  a  dead,  unprofitable  name,  — 
Finds  comfort  in  himself  and  in  his  cause ; 
And  while  the  mortal  mist  is  gathering,  draws 
His  breath  in  confidence  of  Heaven's  applause : 
This  is  the  happy  warrior :  this  is  he 
Whom  every  man  in  arms  should  wish  to  be. 

William  Wordsworth. 


ABRAHAM  LINCOLN.  277 


ABRAHAM   LINCOLN. 


You  lay  a  wreath  on  murdered  Lincoln's  bier ! 
You  who  with  mocking  pencil  wont  to  trace, 
Broad  for  the  self-complacent  British  sneer, 
His  length  of  shambling  limb,  his  furrowed  face, 

His  gaunt,  gnarled  hands,  his  unkempt,  bristling  hair, 

His  garb  uncouth,  his  bearing  ill  at  ease, 

His  lack  of  all  we  prize  as  debonair,1 

Of  power  or  will  to  shine,  of  art  to  please ! 

You,  whose  smart  pen  backed  up  the  pencil's  laugh, 
Judging  each  step,  as  though  the  way  were  plain ; 
Reckless,  so  it  could  point  its  paragraph 
Of  chief's  perplexity,  or  people's  pain ! 

Beside  this  corpse,  that  bears  for  winding-sheet 
The  stars  and  stripes  he  lived  to  rear  anew, 
Between  the  mourners  at  his  head  and  feet, 
Say,  scurrile  jester,  is  there  room  for  you  ? 

Yes,  he  had  lived  to  shame  me  from  my  sneer  — • 
To  blame  my  pencil  and  confute  my  pen  — 
To  make  me  own  this  hind,  of  princes  peer, 
This  rail-splitter  a  true-born  king  of  men. 

i  Debonair:  courteous,  elegant. 


278  HEROIC    BALLADS. 

My  shallow  judgment  I  had  learnt  to  rue, 

Noting  how  to  occasion's  height  he  rose; 

How  his  quaint  wit  made  home-truth  seem  more  true ; 

How,  iron-like,  his  temper  grew  by  blows; 

I  low  humble,  yet  how  hopeful  he  could  be ; 
How  in  good  fortune  and  in  ill  the  same; 
Nor  bitter  in  success,  nor  boastful  he, 
Thirsty  for  gold,  nor  feverish  for  fame. 

# 

He  went  about  his  work  —  such  work  as  few 

Ever  had  laid  on  head,  and  heart,  and  hand  — 

As  one  who  knows  where  there's  a  task  to  do, 

Man's  honest  will  must  Heaven's  good  grace  command; 

Who  trusts  the  strength  will  with  the  burden  grow, 
That  God  makes  instruments  to  work  his  will, 
If  but  that  will  we  can  arrive  to  know, 
Nor  tamper  with  the  weights  of  good  and  ill. 

So  he  went  forth  to  battle,  on  the  side 

That  he  felt  clear  was  Liberty's  and  Right's, 

As  in  his  pleasant  boyhood  he  had  plied 

His  warfare  with  rude  nature's  thwarting  mights ;  — 


The  uncleared  forest,  the  unbroken  soil, 
The  iron  bark  that  turns  the  lumberer's  axe, 
The  rapid,  that  o'erbears  the  boatman's  toil, 
The  prairie,  hiding  the  mazed  wanderer's  tracks, 


ABRAHAM   LINCOLN.  279 

The  ambushed  Indian,  and  the  prowling  bear  — 
Such  were  the  needs  that  helped  his  youth  to  train  : 
Rough  culture  —  but  such  trees  large  fruit  may  bear, 
If  but  their  stocks  be  of  right  girth  and  grain. 

So  he  grew  up,  a  destined  work  to  do, 
And  lived  to  do  it :  four  long-suffering  }rears' 
Ill-fate,  ill-feeling,  ill-report,  lived  through, 
And  then  he  heard  the  hisses  change  to  cheers, 

The  taunts  to  tribute,  the  abuse  to  praise, 
And  took  both  with  the  same  unwavering  mood ; 
Till,  as  he  came  on  light,  from  darkling  days, 
And  seemed  to  touch  the  goal  from  where  he  stood, 

A  felon  hand,  between  the  goal  and  him, 
Reached  from  behind  his  back,  a  trigger  prest  — 
And  those  perplexed  and  patient  eyes  were  dim, 
Those  gaunt,  long-laboring  limbs  were  laid  to  rest ! 

The  words  of  mercy  were  upon  his  lips, 
Forgiveness  in  his  heart  and  on  his  pen, 
When  this  vile  murderer  brought  swift  eclipse 
To  thoughts  of  peace  on  earth,  good-will  to  men. 

The  old  world  and  the  new,  from  sea  to  sea, 
Utter  one  voice  of  sympathy  and  shame  ! 
Sore  heart,  so  stopped  when  it  at  last  beat  high ; 
Sad  life,  cut  short  just  as  its  triumph  came. 


280  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

A  deed  accurst !     Strokes  have  been  struck  before 

By  the  assassin's  hand,  whereof  men  doubt 

If  more  of  horror  or  disgrace  they  bore ; 

But  thy  foul  crime,  like  Cain's,  stands  darkly  out. 

Vile  hand,  that  brandest  murder  on  a  strife, 
Whate'er  its  grounds,  stoutly  and  nobly  striven ; 
And  with  the  martyr's  crown  crownest  a  life 
With  much  to  praise,  little  to  be  forgiven ! 

Tom  Taylor,  in  London  Punch. 


COMMEMORATION   ODE.  281 


COMMEMORATION   ODE.1 

Read  at  Harvard  University,  July  21,  1865. 

Many  loved  Truth,  and  lavished  life's  best  oil 

Amid  the  dust  of  books  to  find  her, 
Content  at  last,  for  guerdon2  of  their  toil, 

With  the  cast  mantle  she  hath  left  behind  her. 
Many  in  sad  faith  sought  for  her, 
Many  with  crossed  hands  sighed  for  her ; 
But  these,  our  brothers,3  fought  for  her, 
At  life's  dear  peril  wrought  for  her, 
So  loved  her  that  they  died  for  her, 
Tasting  the  raptured  fleetness 
Of  her  divine  completeness : 
Their  higher  instinct  knew 
Those  love  her  best  who  to  themselves  are  true, 
And  what  they  dare  to  dream  of  dare  to  do ; 
They  followed  her  and  found  her 
What  all  may  hope  to  find, 
Not  in  the  ashes  of  the  burnt-out  mind, 
But  beautiful,  with  danger's  sweetness  round  her ; 
Where  faith  made  whole  with  deed 
Breathes  its  awakening  breath 
Into  the  lifeless  creed, 

1  Extracts  from  the  Ode. 

2  Guerdon:  reward,  recompense. 

3  Our  brothers :  the  students  and  graduates  of  Harvard  University  who 
died  in  the  Civil  War. 


282  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

They  saw  her  plumed  and  mailed,1 
With  sweet,  stern  face  unveiled, 
And  all-repaying  eyes,  look  proud  on  them  in  death. 

Life  may  be  given  in  many  ways, 
And  loyalty  to  Truth  be  sealed 

As  bravely  in  the  closet  as  the  field, 
So  generous  is  fate  ; 
But  then  to  stand  beside  her 
When  craven  churls  deride  her, 

To  front  a  lie  in  arms  and  not  to  yield,  — ■ 
This  shows,  methinks,  God's  plan 
And  measure  of  a  stalwart  man, 
Limbed  like  the  old  heroic  breeds, 
Who  stand  self-poised  on  manhood's  solid  earth, 
Not  forced  to  frame  excuses  for  his  birth., 

Fed  from  within  with  all  the  strength  he  needs. 

Such  was  he,  our  Martyr-chief,2 
Whom  late  the  Nation  he  had  In  I, 
With  ashes  on  her  head 
Wept  with  the  passion  of  an  angry  grief : 

Nature,  they  say,  doth  dote, 

And  cannot  make  a  man 

Save  on  some  worn-out  plan, 

Repeating  us  by  rote: 
For  him  her  Old-World  moulds  aside  she  threw, 
And,  choosing  sweet  clay  from  the  heart 

Of  the  unexhausted  West, 

1  Mailed:  clad  in  armor.  -  Our  Martyr-chief :   Abraham  Lincoln. 


COMMEMORATION   ODE.  283 

With  stuff  untainted  shaped  a  hero  new, 

Wise,  steadfast  in  the  strength  of  God,  and  true. 

Our  children  shall  behold  his  fame, 
The  kindly-earnest,  brave,  foreseeing  man, 
Sagacious,  patient,  dreading  praise,  not  blame, 
New  birth  of  our  new  soil,  the  first  American. 


We  sit  here  in  the  Promised  Land 

That  flows  with  Freedom's  honey  and  milk ; 

But  'twas  they  won  it,  sword  in  hand, 
Making  the  nettle  danger  soft  for  us  as  silk. 
We  welcome  back  our  bravest  and  our  best ;  — • 
Ah,  me  !  not  all !  some  come  not  with  the  rest, 
Who  went  forth  brave  and  bright  as  any  here  ! 
I  strive  to  mix  some  gladness  with  my  strain, 

But  the  sad  strings  complain, 

And  will  not  please  the  ear ; 
I  sweep  them  for  a  ptean,1  but  they  wane 

Again  and  yet  again 
Into  a  dirge,  and  die  away  in  pain. 
In  these  brave  ranks  I  only  see  the  gaps, 
Thinking  of  dear  ones  whom  the  dumb  turf  wraps, 
Dark  to  the  triumphs  which  they  died  to  gain : 
Fitlier  may  others  greet  the  living, 
For  me  the  past  is  unforgiving ; 

I  with  uncovered  head 

Salute  the  sacred  dead, 
Who  went  and  who  returned  not.  —  Say  not  so ! 

1  Psean :  a  song  of  triumph. 


284  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

'Tis  not  the  grapes  of  Canaan  that  repay,1 
But  the  high  faith  that  failed  not  by  the  way ; 
Virtue  treads  paths  that  end  not  in  the  grave ; 
No  ban  2  of  endless  night  exiles  the  brave  ; 

And  to  the  saner  mind 
We  rather  seem  the  dead  that  stayed  behind. 
Blow,  trumpets,  all  your  exultations  blow ! 
For  never  shall  their  aureoled  3  presence  lack  : 
I  see  them  muster  in  a  gleaming  row, 
With  ever-youthful  brows  that  nobler  show; 
We  find  in  our  dull  road  their  shining  track ; 

In  every  nobler  mood 
We  feel  the  orient 4  of  their  spirit  glow, 
Part  of  our  life's  unalterable  good, 
Of  all  our  saintlier  aspiration  ; 

They  come  transfigured  back, 
Secure  from  change  in  their  high-hearted  ways, 
Beautiful  evermore,  and  with  the  rays 
Of  morn  on  their  white  Shields  of  Expectation ! 

Bow  down,  dear  land,  for  thou  hast  found  release  ! 
Thy  God,  in  these  distempered  days, 
Hath  taught  thee  the  sure  wisdom  of  His  ways, 

And  through  thine  enemies  hath  wrought  thy  peace  ! 
Bow  down  in  prayer  and  praise  ! 

O  Beautiful !  my  Country !  ours  once  more  ! 

Smoothing  thy  gold  of  war-dishevelled  hair 

O'er  such  sweet  brows  as  never  other  wore, 

1  Grapes  of  Canaan:  see  Numbers  xiii.  17-30. 

2  Ban :  curse. 

8  Au'reoled:  surrounded  by  a  balo  of  holy  light. 
4  Orient:  the  dawning  or  perfect  light. 


COMMEMORATION   ODE.  285 

And  letting  thy  set  lips, 

Freed  from  wrath's  pale  eclipse, 
The  rosy  edges  of  their  smile  lay  bare, 
What  words  divine  of  lover  or  of  poet 
Could  tell  our  love  and  make  thee  know  it, 
Among  the  Nations  bright  beyond  compare  ? 

What  were  our  lives  without  thee  ? 

What  all  our  lives  to  save  thee  ? 

We  reck *  not  what  we  gave  thee, 

We  will  not  dare  to  doubt  thee, 
But  ask  whatever  else,  and  we  will  dare  ! 

James  Russell  Lowell 
i  Beck :  care. 


286  HEROIC   BALLADS. 


SONG   OF   THE   SWORD.1 


Thou  sword  at  my  left  side, 
What  means  thy  flash  of  pride  ? 
Thou  smilest  so  on  me, 
I  take  delight  in  thee. 
Hurrah ! 

"  I  grace  a  warrior's  side, 
And  hence  my  flash  of  pride ; 
What  rapture  thus  to  be 
The  guardian  of  the  free  !  " 
Hurrah ! 

Good  sword,  yes,  I  am  free, 
And  fondly  I  love  thee, 
As  wert  thou,  at  my  side, 
My  sweet  affianced  bride. 
Hurrah ! 

"  And  I  to  thee,  by  Heaven, 
My  light  steel  life  have  given ; 
O  were  the  knot  but  tied ! 
When  wilt  thou  fetch  thy  bride  ?  " 
Hurrah ! 

1  Charles  Theodore  Korner  (Kur'ner),  a  young  German  poet  and  soldier, 
was  killed  in  1813,  while  righting  for  his  country  against  the  forces  of  Napo- 
leon. He  was  hut  twenty-two  when  he  died.  He  wrote  this  song  a  few 
hours  hefore  his  death,  and  had  just  finished  reading  it  to  a  companion 
when  the  signal  was  given  for  hattle.  His  comrades  buried  him  at  the  foot 
of  an  old  oak  on  the  battle-field,  and  cut  his  name  deep  in  the  bark  of  the 
tree.    This  poem  is,  however,  his  best  monument. 


SONG  OF   THE    SWORD.  287 

The  clanging  trumps  betray 
The  blushing  bridal  day ; 
When  cannons,  far  and  wide, 
Shall  roar,  I'll  fetch  my  bride. 
Hurrah ! 

"  O  blessed,  blessed  meeting ! 
My  heart  is  wildly  beating; 
Come,  bridegroom,  come  for  me ; 
My  garland  waiteth  thee." 
Hurrah ! 

Why  in  thy  sheath  doth  clash, 
As  wouldst  thou  brightly  flash 
In  battle,  wild  and  proud? 
Why  clashest  thou  so  loud? 
Hurrah ! 

"  Yes,  in  my  sheath  I  clash ; 

I  long  to  gleam  and  flash 

In  battle,  wild  and  proud. 

'Tis  why  I  clash  so  loud." 

Hurrah ! 

Stay  in  thy  narrow  cell ; 
What  wilt  thou  here  ?     O  tell ! 
In  thy  small  chamber  bide, 
Soon  will  I  fetch  my  bride. 
Hurrah  ! 

"  O  do  not  long  delay ! 
To  Love's  fair  fields  awav, 
Where  blood-red  roses  blow, 
And  death  blooms  round  us  so !  " 
Hurrah ! 


288  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

Then  quit  thy  sheath  that  I 
On  thee  may  feast  mine  eye. 
Come  forth,  my  sword,  and  view 
The  Father's  mansion  blue ! 
Hurrah  ! 


u 


O  lovely  blue  expanse  ! 
Where  golden  sunbeams  dance, 
How  in  the  nuptial  reel 
Will  gleam  the  bridal  steel !  " 
Hurrah ! 

Up,  warriors !  awake, 
Ye  German  brave  !     O  take, 
Should  not  your  hearts  be  warm, 
Your  bride  into  your  arm. 
Hurrah ! 

At  first  she  did  but  cast 
A  stolen  glance  ;  at  last 
Hath  truly  God  allied 
The  right  hand  to  the  bride. 
Hurrah ! 

Then  press  with  fervent  zeal 
The  bridal  lips  of  steel 
To  thine ;  and  woe  betide 
Him  who  deserts  his  bride  ! 
Hurrah ! 

Now  let  her  sing  and  clash, 
That  glowing  sparks  may  flash ! 
Morn  wakes  in  nuptial  pride  — 
Hurrah,  thou  Iron  Bride  ! 

Hurrah  !  From  the  German  of  Korner. 


SHERIDAN'S   RIDE.  289 


SHERIDAN'S  RIDE.1 

October  19,  1864. 

Up  from  the  South  at  break  of  day, 
Bringing  to  Winchester  fresh  dismay, 
The  affrighted  air  with  a  shudder  bore, 
Like  a  herald  in  haste,  to  the  chieftain's  door, 
The  terrible  grumble,  and  rumble,  and  roar, 
Telling;  the  battle  was  on  once  more, 
And  Sheridan  twenty  miles  away. 

And  wider  still  those  billows  of  war 

Thundered  along  the  horizon's  bar; 

And  louder  yet  into  Winchester  rolled 

The  roar  of  that  red  sea  uncontrolled, 

Making  the  blood  of  the  listener  cold, 

As  he  thought  of  the  stake  in  that  fiery  fray, 

And  Sheridan  twenty  miles  away. 

But  there  is  a  road  from  Winchester  town, 
A  good  broad  highway  leading  down ; 

i  During  the  Civil  War,  in  September,  1864,  General  Sheridan  of  the 
Union  army  defeated  General  Early  with  his  Confederate  troops,  and  sent 
him  "  whirling  up  the  Shenandoah  Valley."  Some  weeks  afterward,  Early 
surprised  Sheridan's  men  at  Cedar  Creek,  about  twenty  miles  from  Win- 
chester. Sheridan  was  absent,  and  Early  drove  the  Union  forces  before 
him.  Sheridan  heard  the  noise  of  the  cannon  at  Winchester,  and  riding 
rapidly  reached  the  field  a  little  before  noon.  As  he  rode  up  he  shouted, 
"Face  the  other  way,  boys;  we're  going  back!"  The  "boys"  did  go 
back,  and  attacked  the  Confederates  with  such  vigor  that  they  speedily 
cleared  the  valley  of  them.  In  return  for  this  victory,  President  Lincoln 
made  Sheridan  a  major-general. 


290  HEROIC    BALLADS. 

And  there,  through  the  flush  of  the  morning  light, 
A  steed  as  black  as  the  steeds  of  night 
Was  seen  to  pass,  as  with  eagle  flight, 
As  if  he  knew  the  terrible  need ;         M 
He  stretched  away  with  his  utmost  speed ; 
Hills  rose  and  fell ;  but  his  heart  was  gay, 
With  Sheridan  fifteen  miles  away. 

Still  sprung  from  those  swift  hoofs,  thundering  South, 

The  dust,  like  smoke  from  the  cannon's  mouth ; 

Or  a  trail  of  a  comet,  sweeping  faster  and  faster, 

Foreboding  to  traitors  the  doom  of  disaster. 

The  heart  of  the  steed  and  the  heart  of  the  master 

Were  beating  like  prisoners  assaulting  their  walls, 

Impatient  to  be  where  the  battle-field  calls ; 

Every  nerve  of  the  charger  was  strained  to  full  play, 

With  Sheridan  only  ten  miles  away. 

Under  his  spurning  feet  the  road 

Like  an  arrowy  Alpine  river  flowed, 

And  the  landscape  sped  away  behind 

Like  an  ocean  flying  before  the  wind ; 

And  the  steed,  like  a  bark  fed  with  furnace  ire, 

Swept  on  with  his  wild  eye  full  of  fire. 

But  lo  !  he  is  nearing  his  heart's  desire  ; 

He  is  snuffing  the  smoke  of  the  roaring  fray, 

With  Sheridan  only  five  miles  away. 

The  first  that  the  General  saw  were  the  groups 

Of  stragglers,  and  then  the  retreating  troops. 

What  was  done  ?  what  to  do  ?     A  glance  told  him  both. 

Then,  striking  his  spurs,  with  a  terrible  oath, 


SHERIDAN'S   RIDE.  291 

He  dashed  down  the  line,  mid  a  storm  of  huzzas, 

And   the   wave    of   retreat   checked   its    course  there, 

because 
The  sight  of  the  master  compelled  it  to  pause. 
With  foam  and  with  dust  the  black  charger  was  gray ; 
By  the  flash  of  his  eye,  and  the  red  nostril's  play, 
He  seemed  to  the  whole  great  army  to  say, 
"  I  have  brought  you  Sheridan  all  the  way 
From  Winchester  down  to  save  the  day  !  " 

Hurrah  !  hurrah  for  Sheridan  ! 

Hurrah  !  hurrah  for  horse  and  man  ! 

And  when  their  statues  are  placed  on  high, 

Under  the  dome  of  the  Union  sky, 

The  American  soldier's  Temple  of  Fame,  — 

There  with  the  glorious  General's  name, 

Be  it  said,  in  letters  both  bold  and  bright, 

"  Here  is  the  steed  that  saved  the  day 

By  carrying  Sheridan  into  the  fight, 

From  Winchester,  twenty  miles  away ! " 

Thomas  Buchanan  Read. 


292  HEROIC   BALLADS. 


THE   PLACE   WHERE   MAN  SHOULD   DIE. 


How  little  recks 1  it  where  man  lie, 

When  once  the  moment's  past 
In  which  the  dim  and  glazing  eye 

Has  looked  on  earth  its  last  — 
Whether  beneath  the  sculptured  urn 

The  coffined  form  shall  rest, 
Or  in  its  nakedness  return 

Back  to  its  mother's  breast ! 

Death  is  a  common  friend  or  foe, 

As  different  men  may  hold, 
And  at  his  summons  each  must  go, 

The  timid  and  the  bold ; 
But  when  the  spirit  free  and  warm, 

Deserts  it  as  it  must, 
What  matter  where  the  lifeless  form 

Dissolves  again  to  dust? 

The  soldier  falls  'mid  corses  piled 

Upon  the  battle-plain, 
Where  reinless  war-steeds  gallop  wild 

Above  the  mangled  slain ; 

1  Recks :  matters. 


THE   PLACE   WHERE   MAN   SHOULD   DIE.  293 

But  though  his  corse  be  grim  to  see, 

Hoof-trampled  on  the  sod, 
What  recks  it,  when  the  spirit  free 

Has  soared  aloft  to  God  ? 

#  *  *  * 

'Twere  sweet,  indeed,  to  close  our  eyes, 

With  those  we  cherish  near, 
And  wafted  upwards  by  their  sighs, 

Soar  to  some  calmer  sphere. 
But  whether  on  the  scaffold  high, 

Or  in  the  battle's  van, 
The  fittest  place  where  man  can  die 

Is  where  he  dies  for  man ! 

Michael  Joseph  Barry. 


294  HEROIC  BALLADS. 


CONCORD   FIGHT.1 


By  the  rude  bridge  that  arched  the  flood, 
Their  flag  to  April's  breeze  unfurled, 
Here  once  the  embattled  farmers  stood, 
And  fired  the  shot  heard  round  the  world. 

The  foe  long  since  in  silence  slept ; 
Alike  the  conqueror  silent  sleeps ; 
And  Time  the  ruined  bridge  has  swept 
Down  the  dark  stream  which  seaward  creeps. 

On  the  green  bank,  by  this  soft  stream, 
We  set  to-day  a  votive  stone  ; 2 
That  memory  may  her  dead  redeem, 
When,  like  our  sires,  our  sons  are  gone. 

Spirit,  that  made  those  heroes  dare 
To  die,  and  leave  their  children  free, 
Bid  Time  and  Nature  gently  spare 
The  shaft  we  raise  to  them  and  thee. 

R.  W.  Emerson. 

!Tho  battle  of  Concord,  Mass.,  April  19,  1775,  was  the  opening  battle 
of  the  Revolution.  "There,"  as  Emerson  says,  "  the  Americans  first  shed 
British  blood."  This  hymn  was  sung  at  the  completion  of  the  battle  monu- 
ment erected  April  10,  1836,  on  the  bank  of  Concord  River. 

2  Votive  stone :  a  stone  or  monument  raised  in  grateful  commemoration 
of  some  event. 


PAUL   REVERE'S   RIDE.  295 


PAUL   REVERE'S   RIDE. 


Listen,  my  children,  and  you  shall  hear 

Of  the  midnight  ride  of  Paul  Revere,1 

On  the  eighteenth  of  April,  in  Seventy-Five : 

Hardly  a  man  is  now  alive 

Who  remembers  that  famous  day  and  year. 

He  said  to  his  friend,  —  "  If  the  British  march 
By  land  or  sea  from  the  town  to-night, 

1  Paul  Revere :  At  the  outbreak  of  the  Revolution,  large  quantities 
of  provisions  and  ammunition  were  stored  at  Concord,  Mass.,  for  the 
American  provincial  army.  Concord  is  about  eighteen  miles  from  Boston. 
General  Gage,  who  had  the  command  of  the  British  troops  in  Boston,  deter- 
mined to  destroy  the  "  rebel  stores  "  at  that  town,  and  sent  a  detachment 
of  eight  hundred  troops  for  this  purpose,  and  also  to  arrest  the  "traitors," 
John  Hancock  and  Samuel  Adams,  who  were  then  at  Lexington. 

The  British  troops  embarked  secretly  on  the  night  of  April  IS,  1775,  and 
crossing  over  from  Boston  to  Cambridge,  began  their  march  to  Concord  by 
way  of  Lexington. 

But  the  Bostou  patriots  were  on  the  alert,  and  as  soon  as  it  was  known 
that  the  British  had  started,  Paul  Revere  was  sent  to  give  the  alarm. 
Mounting  a  swift  horse  at  Charlestown,  opposite  Boston,  he  succeeded  in 
reaching  Lexington  in  time  to  warn  Hancock  and  Adams  of  their  danger, 
and  then  started  for  Concord,  but  was  stopped  by  British  troops  at  Lincoln, 
and  brought  back  to  Lexington.  Dr.  Samuel  Prescott  of  Concord  had  been 
passing  the  evening  at  Lexington,  and  he  carried  the  alarm  to  Concord. 

The  British  succeeded  in  destroying  a  considerable  part  of  the  supplies 
at  that  place  and  then  began  the  memorable  march  back  to  Boston. 

They  were  hotly  pursued  by  the  enraged  farmers,  and  their  march  soon 
became  a  retreat,  and  a  running  retreat  at  that.  When  they  reached  Lex- 
ington and  stopped  to  rest,  it  is  said  that  their  tongues  hung  out  of  their 
mouths  "like  dogs  after  a  chase."  Had  it  not  been  for  reinforcements, 
few  of  them  would  ever  have  reached  Boston;  as  it  was,  their  loss  was 
very  heavy. 


296  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

Hang  a  lantern  aloft  in  the  belfry-arch 

Of  the  North-Church 1  tower,  as  a  signal-light,  — 

One  if  by  land,  and  two  if  by  sea  ; 

And  I  on  the  opposite  shore  2  will  be, 

Ready  to  ride  and  spread  the  alarm 

Through  every  Middlesex  village  and  farm, 

For  the  country-folk  to  be  up  and  to  arm." 

Then  he  said  good-night,  and  with  muffled  oar 

Silently  row'd  to  the  Charlestown  shore, 

Just  as  the  moon  rose  over  the  bay, 

Where  swinging  wide  at  her  moorings  lay 

The  Somerset,  British  man-of-war: 

A  phantom  ship,  with  each  mast  and  spar 

Across  the  moon,  like  a  prison-bar, 

And  a  huge,  black  hulk,  that  was  magnified 

By  its  own  reflection  in  the  tide. 

Meanwhile  his  friend,  through  alley  and  street 
Wanders  and  watches  with  eager  ears, 
Till  in  the  silence  around  him  he  hears 
The  muster  of  men  at  the  barrack-door, 
The  sound  of  arms,  and  the  tramp  of  feet, 
And  the  measured  tread  of  the  grenadiers 
Marching  down  to  their  boats  on  the  shore. 

Then  he  climb'd  to  the  tower  of  the  church, 
Up  the  wooden  stairs,  with  stealthy  tread, 
To  the  belfry-chamber  overhead, 
And  startled  the  pigeons  from  their  perch 

1  The   North   Church:    Christ   Church,  Salem   Street,  Boston.    It  still 
stands,  ami  bids  fair  to  do  so  for  at  least  another  century. 
-  Opposite  shore :  tin-  ( 'harlestown  shore,  opposite  Boston. 


PAUL   REVERE'S   RIDE.  297 

On  the  sombre  rafters,  that  round  him  made 
Masses  and  moving  shapes  of  shade  ; 
Up  the  light  ladder,  slender  and  tall, 
To  the  highest  window  in  the  wall, 
Where  he  paused  to  listen  and  look  down 
A  moment  on  the  roofs  of  the  quiet  town, 
And  the  moonlight  flowing  over  all. 

Beneath,  in  the  church-yard,  lay  the  dead 
In  their  night-encampment  on  the  hill, 
Wrapp'd  in  silence  so  deep  and  still, 
That  he  could  hear,  like  a  sentinel's  tread, 
The  watchful  night-wind  as  it  went 
Creeping  along  from  tent  to  tent, 
And  seeming  to  whisper,  "  All  is  well !  " 
A  moment  only  he  feels  the  spell 
Of  the  place  and  the  hour,  the  secret  dread 
Of  the  lonely  belfry  and  the  dead ; 
For  suddenly  all  his  thoughts  are  bent 
On  a  shadowy  something  far  away, 
Where  the  river  widens  to  meet  the  bay,  — 
A  line  of  black,  that  bends  and  floats 
On  the  rising  tide,  like  a  bridge  of  boats. 

Meanwhile,  impatient  to  mount  and  ride, 
Booted  and  spurr'd,  with  a  heavy  stride, 
On  the  opposite  shore  walk'd  Paul  Revere. 
Now  he  patted  his  horse's  side, 
Now  gazed  on  the  landscape  far  and  near, 
Then  impetuous  stamp'd  the  earth, 
And  turn'd  and  tighten'd  his  saddle-girth  ; 
But  mostly  he  watch'd  with  eager  search 
The  belfry-tower  of  the  old  North  Church, 


298  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

As  it  rose  above  the  graves  on  the  hill, 
Lonely,  and  spectral,  and  sombre,  and  still. 

And,  lo !  as  he  looks,  on  the  belfry's  height, 
A  glimmer,  and  then  a  gleam  of  light ! 
lie  springs  to  the  saddle,  the  bridle  he  turns, 
But  lingers  and  gazes,  till  full  on  his  sight 
A  second  lamp  in  the  belfry  burns ! 

A  hurry  of  hoofs  in  a  village  street, 

A  shape  in  the  moonlight,  a  bulk  in  the  dark, 

And  beneath  from  the  pebbles,  in  passing,  a  spark 

Struck  out  by  a  steed  that  flies  fearless  and  fleet : 

That  was  all !    And  yet,  through  the  gloom  and  the  light, 

The  fate  of  a  nation  was  riding  that  night ; 

And  the  spark  struck  out  by  that  steed,  in  his  flight, 

Kindled  the  land  into  flame  with  its  heat. 

It  was  twelve  by  the  village  clock, 

When  he  cross'd  the  bridge  into  Med  ford  town, 

He  heard  the  crowing  of  the  cock, 

And  the  barking  of  the  farmer's  dog, 

And  felt  lliu  damp  of  the  river-fog, 

That  rises  when  the  sun  goes  down. 

It  was  one  by  the  village  clock, 

When  he  rode  into  Lexington. 

lie  saw  the  gilded  weathercock 

Swim  in  the  moonlight  as  lie  pass'd, 

And  the  meeting-house  windows,  blank  and  bare, 

Gaze  at  him  with  a  spectral  glare, 

As  if  they  already  stood  aghast 

At  the  bloody  work  they  would  look  upon. 


PAUL   REVERE'S   RIDE.  299 

It  was  two  by  the  village  clock, 

When  he  came  to  the  bridge  in  Concord  town.1 

He  heard  the  bleating  of  the  flock, 

And  the  twitter  of  birds  among  the  trees, 

And  felt  the  breath  of  the  morning-breeze 

Blowing  over  the  meadows  brown. 

And  one  was  safe  and  asleep  in  his  bed 

Who  at  the  bridge  would  be  first  to  fall,2 

Who  that  day  would  be  lying  dead, 

Pierced  by  a  British  musket-ball. 

You  know  the  rest.     In  the  books  you  have  read 
How  the  British  regulars  fired  and  fled ; 
How  the  farmers  gave  them  ball  for  ball, 
From  behind  each  fence  and  farmyard-wall, 
Chasing  the  red-coats  down  the  lane, 
Then  crossing  the  fields  to  emerge  again 
Under  the  trees  at  the  turn  of  the  road, 
And  only  pausing  to  fire  and  load. 

So  through  the  night  rode  Paul  Revere ; 

And  so  through  the  night  went  his  cry  of  alarm 

To  every  Middlesex  village  and  farm,  — 

A  cry  of  defiance,  and  not  of  fear,  — 

A  voice  in  the  darkness,  a  knock  at  the  door, 

And  a  word  that  shall  echo  for  evermore ! 

1  Concord:  Revere  himself  did  not  succeed  in  reaching  Concord;  hut 
the  alarm  was  carried  there  hy  Dr.  Samuel  Prescott  of  Concord,  who  had 
spent  the  evening  at  Lexington. 

2  First  to  fall :  Shattuck's  History  of  Concord  states  that  the  first  to 
fall  were  Captain  Davis  and  Ahner  Hosmer  of  Acton.  Three  British 
soldiers  were  killed.  The  bodies  of  two  of  them  were  buried  where 
they  fell. 


300  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

For,  borne  on  the  night-wind  of  the  Past, 
Through  all  our  history,  to  the  last, 
In  the  hour  of  darkness,  and  peril,  and  need, 
The  people  will  waken  and  listen  to  hear 
The  hurrying  hoof-beat  of  that  steed, 
And  the  midnight  message  of  Paul  Revere. 

II.  W.  Longfellow. 


SAXON   GRIT.  301 


SAXON   GRIT. 


Work  with  the  battle,  by  Stamford  town,1 

Fighting  the  Norman,  by  Hastings  Bay, 

Harold,  the  Saxon's  sun,  went  down 

While  the  acorns  were  falling  one  autumn  day. 

Then  the  Norman  said,  "  I  am  lord  of  the  land : 

By  tenor  of  conquest  here  I  sit ; 

I  will  rule  you  now  with  the  iron  hand  " ; 

But  he  had  not  thought  of  the  Saxon  grit. 

To  the  merry  green-wood  went  bold  Robin  Hood,2 
With  his  strong-hearted  yeomanry  ripe  for  the  fray, 
Driving  the  arrow  into  the  marrow 
Of  all  the  proud  Normans  who  came  in  his  way ; 
Scorning  the  fetter,  fearless  and  free, 

1  Early  in  January,  1066,  Edward  the  Confessor,  king  of  England,  died, 
and  Harold,  the  last  of  the  Saxon  or  English  kings,  came  to  the  throne. 

William,  Duke  of  Normandy,  a  distant  kinsman  of  Harold's,  demanded 
the  crown,  declaring  that  Harold  had  sworn  to  uphold  his  claim  to  it. 

Harold  refused  to  recognize  William's  claim,  and  the  duke,  raising  a 
large  force,  invaded  England  late  in  September,  landing  at  Hastings  on  the 
south  coast. 

Harold  was  then  in  the  north,  where  he  had  gone  to  repel  an  in- 
vasion from  Norway.  He  gained  the  battle  of  Stamford  Bridge,  in  York- 
shire, and  then  hurried  south  to  meet  William.  In  the  terrible  battle 
of  Hastings  which  ensued,  the  English  army  was  utterly  defeated  and 
Harold  himself  slain.  William  became  king  of  England,  and  eventually 
Norman  wit  and  Saxon  grit  united  to  make  the  English  race  the  foremost 
people  of  the  globe. 

-  Robin  Hood  :  according  to  tradition  he  was  an  English  outlaw,  com- 


302  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

Winning  by  valor,  or  foiling  by  wit, 

Dear  to  our  Saxon  folk  ever  is  he, 

This  merry  old  rogue  with  the  Saxon  grit. 

And  Ket,1  the  tanner,  whipped  out  his  knife, 
And  Wat,1  the  smith,  his  hammer  brought  down, 
For  ruth  2  of  the  maid  he  loved  better  than  life, 
And  by  breaking  a  head,  made  a  hole  in  the  Crown. 
From  the  Saxon  heart  rose  a  mighty  roar, 
"  Our  life  shall  not  be  by  the  King's  permit ; 
We  will  fight  for  the  right,  we  want  no  more  " ; 
Then  the  Norman  found  out  the  Saxon  grit. 

For  slow  and  sure  as  the  oak  had  grown 
From  the  acorns  falling  that  autumn  day, 
So  the  Saxon  manhood  in  thorpe  3  and  town 
To  a  nobler  stature  grew  alway ; 
Winning  by  inches,  holding  by  clinches, 
Standing  by  law  and  the  human  right, 
Many  times  failing,  never  once  quailing, 
So  the  new  day  came  out  of  the  night. 


manding  a  band  of  outlaws  in  Sherwood  Forest,  in  the  twelfth  century, 
and  warring  against  the  rich  and  cruel  Norman  oppressors.  He  figures 
conspicuously  in  Scott's  "  Ivanhoe,"  under  the  name  of  Locksley. 

1  Ket  and  Wat:  they  were  both  leaders  of  insurrections  against  tyranny. 
Wat's  rising  took  place  in  the  reign  of  Richard  II.  (1381)  ;  and,  though  it 
failed  at  the  time,  it  eventually  helped  to  bring  about  the  emancipation  of 
the  English  laboring  classes  from  a  condition  hut  little  better  than  that  of 
slaves.  Ket's  insurrection  occurred  under  Henry  VIII.,  a  century  and 
a  half  later.  Just  how  Wat's  rising  can  be  said  to  have  "made  a  hole  in 
the  Crown  "  is  not  cleat :  possibly,  because  as  the  people  gained  power,  the 
Crown  lost  it.  Richard  was  deposed  and  died  in  prison,  but  Wat's  rebellion 
seems  to  have  had  no  direct  connection  with  the  king's  fall. 

-  Ruth:  pity. 

8  Thorpe  :  a  Saxon  name  for  a  cluster  of  farm-houses ;  a  hamlet. 


SAXON    GRIT.  303 


Then  rising  afar  in  the  western  sea, 

A  new  world  stood  in  the  morn  of  the  day, 

Ready  to  welcome  the  brave  and  free, 

Who  could  wrench  out  the  heart  and  march  away 

From  the  narrow,  conservative,  dear  old  land, 

Where  the  poor  are  held  by  a  cruel  bit, 

To  ampler  spaces  for  heart  and  hand  — 

For  here  was  a  chance  for  the  Saxon  grit. 

Steadily  steering,  eagerly  peering, 
Trusting  in  God  your  fathers  came, 
Pilgrims  and  strangers,  fronting  all  dangers, 
Cool-headed  Saxons  with  hearts  aflame. 
Bound  by  the  letter,1  but  free  from  the  fetter, 
And  hiding  their  freedom  in  Holy  Writ, 
They  gave  Deuteronomy  2  hints  in  economy, 
And  made  a  new  Moses  of  Saxon  grit. 

They  whittled  and  waded  through  forest  and  fen, 
Fearless  as  ever  of  what  might  befall ; 
Pouring  out  life  for  the  nurture  of  men ; 
In  faith  that  by  manhood  the  world  wins  all. 
Inventing  baked  beans  and  no  end  of  machines ; 
G  reat  with  the  rifle,  and  great  with  the  axe  — 
Sending  their  notions  over  the  oceans, 
To  fill  empty  stomachs  and  straighten  bent  backs. 


1  The  letter :  the  letter  of  the  Scriptures. 

2  Deuteronomy  :  the  Book  of  Deuteronomy  is  largely  made  up  of  rules 
and  regulations  for  the  government  of  the  Israelites  on  their  way  to  the 
Promised  Laud ;  some  of  these  rules  relate  to  the  management  of  domestic 
affairs. 


304  HEROIC  BALLADS. 

Swift  to  take  chances  that  end  in  the  dollar, 
Yet  open  of  hand  when  the  dollar  is  made, 
Maintaining  the  "  meetin',"  exalting  the  scholar, 
But  a  little  too  anxious  about  a  good  trade ; 
This  is  young  Jonathan,1  son  of  old  John,2 
Positive,  peaceable,  firm  in  the  right, 
Saxon  men  all  of  us,  may  we  be  one, 
Steady  for  freedom  and  strong  in  her  might. 

Then,  slow  and  sure,  as  the  oaks  have  grown 
From  the  acorns  that  fell  on  that  autumn  day, 
So  this  new  manhood  in  city  and  town, 
To  a  nobler  stature  will  grow  alway ; 
Winning  by  inches,  holding  by  clinches, 
Slow  to  contention,  and  slower  to  quit, 
Now  and  then  failing,  never  once  quailing, 
Let  us  thank  God  for  the  Saxon  grit. 

Robert  Collyer. 

(Read  at  tbe  New  England  dinner  in  commemoration  of  the 
Landing  of  the  Pilgrims,  Dec.  22,  1879.) 

1  Jonathan :  i.e.  "  Brother  Jonathan."  During  the  early  part  of  the 
Revolutionary  War  General  Washington  placed  great  reliance  in  the  good 
judgment  of  Governor  Jonathan  Trumbull  of  Connecticut.  In  emergencies 
he  was  often  heard  to  say,  half  humorously,  "We  must  consult  Brother 
Jonathan."  From  this  fact  some  authorities  suppose  the  name  of  "  Jona- 
than" came,  in  time,  to  designate  the  American  people. 

Others  think  it  was  derived  from  Captain  Jonathan  Carver,  an  American 
traveller  among  the  Indians  before  the  Revolution,  whom  the  aborigines 
were  accustomed  to  call  "  Our  dear  brother  Jonathan." 

-John:  i.e.  "John  Bull";  a  nickname  occurring  first  in  Arhuthtiot  s 
satirical  "History  of  John  Bull,"  1713.  He  applied  it  in  ridicule  to  the 
famous  Duke  of  Marlborough;  later,  it  came  to  designate  the  English 
nation. 


DECORATION.  305 


DECORATION.1 

"  Manibus  date  lilia  plenis."  2 

'Mid  the  flower-wreathed  tombs  I  stand, 
Bearing  lilies  in  my  hand. 
Comrades  !  in  what  soldier-grave 
Sleeps  the  bravest  of  the  brave  ? 

Is  it  he  who  sank  to  rest 
With  his  colors  round  his  breast? 
Friendship  makes  his  tomb  a  shrine, 
Garlands  veil  it ;  ask  not  mine. 

One  low  grave,  yon  trees  beneath, 
Bears  no  roses,  wears  no  wreath ; 
Yet  no  heart  more  high  and  warm 
Ever  dared  the  battle-storm. 

Never  gleamed  a  prouder  eye 
In  the  front  of  victory ; 
Never  foot  had  firmer  tread 
On  the  field  where  hope  lay  dead, 

Than  are  hid  within  this  tomb, 
Where  the  untended  grasses  bloom ; 
And  no  stone  with  feigned  distress, 
Mocks  the  sacred  loneliness. 


1  Compare  Bryant's  fine  poem  "  The  Conqueror's  Grave." 

2  Strew  lilies  with  generous  hands. 


306  HEROIC   BALLADS. 

Youth  and  beauty,  dauntless  will, 
Dreams  that  life  could  ne'er  fulfil 
Here  lie  buried,  —  here  in  peace 
Wrongs  and  woes  have  found  release. 

Turning  from  my  comrades'  eyes, 
Kneeling  where  a  woman  lies, 
I  strew  lilies  on  the  grave 
Of  the  bravest  of  the  brave. 

T.    W.    IIlGGlNSON. 


SACRIFICE.  307 


SACRIFICE. 


Though  love  repine,  and  reason  chafe, 
There  came  a  voice  without  reply,  — 
"  'Tis  man's  perdition  to  be  safe, 
When  for  the  truth  he  ought  to  die." 


R.  W.  Emerson. 


INDEX  TO   NOTES. 


Abjuring,  83. 
Adamantine,  182. 
Aften,  71. 
Agincourt,  53,  165. 
Alban  kings,  38. 
Alban  mountains,  32. 
Albinia,  17. 
Algidus,  27. 
Alien,  268. 
Almayne,  62. 
Alsatia,  67. 
Alvernus,  19. 
Amain,  2,  20,  120. 
Angus,  79. 
Annie  Laurie,  260. 
Anon,  178. 
Apace,  238. 
Appenzel,  60. 
Appius  Claudius,  30,  49. 
Archers,  104. 
Argyle,  91. 
Armada,  50. 
Array,  2,  122. 
Arretium,  4. 
Aruns,  17. 
Ashby,  224. 
Ashur,  176. 
Askance,  30. 
Assynt,  89. 
Astley,  66. 
Astur,  7, 10. 
Atabals,  118. 
Athwart,  23. 
Aught,  30. 
Augurs,  20,  34. 


J  Aunus,  16. 
Aureoled,  284. 
Aurigny,  51. 
Auser,  3. 
Avengers,  42. 
Axe,  170. 
Axes,  30,  37. 
Aye,  95. 

Baal,  176. 

Bairnie,  85. 

Baleful,  248. 

Ball  and  blade,  223. 

Balm,  138. 

Ban,  284. 

Banks,  223. 

Bannock-Burn,  71. 

Barb,  243. 

Barbara  Frietchie,  209, 

210. 
Barclay  of  Ury,  233. 
Bards,  184. 
Bare,  170. 
Barkened.  174. 
Bars,  209. 
Battlement,  96. 
Battle-van,  115. 
Battle  of  the  Baltic,  181. 
Battle  thunder,  265. 
Bay,  53,  187. 
Bayou,  140. 
Beachy  Head,  54. 
Beacon,  52. 
Beaulieu.  55. 
Beaumont,  170. 


Beethoven,  225. 
Behest,  78. 
Behooves,  52. 
Belial,  69. 
Belted  knight,  93. 
Belvoir,  58. 
Bent,  158. 

Berwick  bounds,  54. 
Besprent,  169. 
Betide,  117. 
Bilbow,  168. 
Black  fleet,  51. 
Blackheath,  57. 
Blake,  179. 
Blazon,  52. 

Blue-Light  Elder,  222. 
Boadicea,  75. 
Bohemia,  53. 
Bond,  119. 
Bonnets,  171. 
Bonnie,  84. 
Bonnie  Dundee,  171. 
Bonny,  146. 
Booming  shots,  149. 
Border,  219. 
Border  side,  101. 
Borough-muir,  102. 
Bothwell  banks,  124. 
Bow,  90,  172. 
Bowers,  79. 
Bozzaris,  135,  136. 
Brake,  219. 
Brand,  10. 
Bravoes,  67. 
Break  a  spear,  157. 


310 


INDEX   TO   NOTES. 


Bregenz,  129. 
Bridegroom,  95. 
Bristol,  55. 
Britannia,  180. 
Broad  pieces,  68. 
Brooked,  102. 
Bruce,  114. 
Brunswick,  271. 
Buckler,  109. 
Buff-coat,  193. 
Buffs,  217. 
Burgesses,  193. 
Burghers,  04. 

Caesar's  shield,  53. 
Caitiff,  34. 
Caius,  40. 
Calabriau  sea-marks, 

48. 
Camerons,  92. 
Campania,  17. 
Campbell  clan,  88. 
Cannobie,  221. 
Canny,  229. 
Canting,  241. 
Captain  of  the  Gate,  12. 
Capuan  odors,  39. 
Car,  10,  270. 
Carles,  90. 
Carlin,  233. 
Carlisle,  58. 

Carmen  Bellicosum,202. 
Cars,  38. 
Cart,  89. 
Casabianca,  148. 
Case,  25. 
Cask,  28. 
Casque,  103. 
Castile,  51. 
Castle  rock,  173. 
Catches,  69. 
Cause,  67. 
Causeway,  173. 
Cawbeen,  189. 


Chair,  curule,  37. 
Champ,  3. 

Champaign,  6. 
Charger,  132. 
Chevy-Chase,  154. 
Chiefs,  174. 
Churl,  233. 
Cilnius,  10. 
Ciminian  Hill,  3. 
Circe,  29. 
Cities,  9. 
City  band,  99. 
Civic  crown,  40. 
Clad  in  clay,  163. 
Clanis,  3. 
Clans,  88. 
Clarence,  169. 
Clarions,  67. 
Clasp,  257. 
Claudian  family,  32. 
Claudius,  36. 
Claverhouse,  82. 
Claymore,  88. 
Cleriniston's  lea,  174. 
Client,  30. 
Clifton,  55. 
Clitumnus,  3. 
Closedicads,  173. 
Cloth-yard,  161. 
Cohorts,  37,  175. 
Coligni,  61. 
Comitium,  26. 
Commons,  15. 
Concord,  299. 
Concord  light,  294. 
Consul,  8. 
Continentals,  202. 
Cope,  70. 
Copper,  43. 

Corinthian  mirrors,  38. 
Cornet,  63. 
Corn-land,  26. 
Corioli,  46. 
Corslet,  101. 


Cortona,  3. 
Cosa,  17. 
Cossack,  127. 
Cossus,  47. 
Couch, 174. 
Couched  a  spear,  102. 
Couriers,  57. 
Covenanting  carles,  90. 
Cowls,  173. 
Cowthie,  172. 
Crafts,  44. 
Craftsman,  32. 
Cranbourne's  oaks,  55. 
Craven,  23. 
Crest,  10. 

Crimean  War,  126. 
Cromwell,  252. 
Cross-bolts,  121. 
Cross  of  bronze,  257. 
Croup,  193. 
Crow,  15. 
Crown,  Civic,  40. 
Crown,  Laurel,  37. 
Crustumerium,  7. 
Cuirasses,  66. 
Culverin,  61. 
Curfew,  251. 
Currach  of  Kildare,  188. 
Curule  chair,  37. 
Cypress,  44. 

Darwin's  dales,  57. 
D'Aumale,  62. 
Debate,  164. 
Debonair,  277. 
December  21st,  196. 
Decoration,  305. 
Deems,  41. 
Deftly,  19. 
Decree,  102. 
Deil,  172. 
Dell,  185. 

Deuteronomy,  303. 
Devildoms,  263. 


INDEX   TO   NOTES. 


311 


Devon,  263. 
Diamonds,  69. 
Diego,  239. 
Ding,  169. 
Diuna,  85. 
Doffed,  101. 
Dog-star,  38. 
Don,  264. 
Doublet,  69. 
Douce,  172. 
Doughtily,  170. 
Doun,  172. 
Down,  55. 
Drawbridge,  80. 
Dree,  123. 
Drovers,  155. 
Druid,  75. 

Duke  of  Mayenne,  62. 
Dundee,  88,  171. 
Dunedin,  92. 
Duniewassals,  174. 
Durham's  stalls,  69. 

Eagles,  76. 
Earl  Percy,  154. 
Eddystone,  54. 
Edgecumbe,  52. 
Ee,^  172. 
E'en,  172. 
E'er,  158. 
Egmont's  Flemish 

Spears,  60. 
Elsinore,  183. 
Ely's  fane,  58. 
Ensigns,  15. 
Erewhile,  33. 
Erpingham,  168. 
Erst,  104. 
Eske,  219. 
Etruscan,  2. 
Excester,  167. 
Eyne,  120. 

Fa',  71. 
Fabian,  36. 


Fabius,  47. 
Faction,  14. 
Fain,  121. 
Falchion,  74. 
Falerii,  17. 
Fallow,  155. 
False  sons,  35. 
Fanhope,  170. 
Fasces,  36. 
Fast  by,  156. 
Father  Tiber,  24. 
Fathers  of  the  Olty,  7. 
Favor,  189. 
Fell,  17,  110,  123. 
Fen,  17. 
Fenceless,  89. 
Fillets,  37. 
Fitfully,  21. 
Flag-bird,  178. 
Flagship,  268. 
Flash,  97. 
Flecking,  145. 
Flesher,  33. 
Flodden,  98. 
Flower,  119. 
Fold,  175. 
'Fore,  262. 
Forth,  174. 

Fortress  strength,  HI. 
Forum,  29. 
Fourfold  shield,  10. 
Fox-earth,  36. 
Frank,  121,  274. 
Frederick,  209. 
Freit,  115. 
Froward,  234. 
Furies,  29. 
Furius,  46. 

Gallants,  53. 
Galleons,  265. 
Galliard,  220. 
Gang,  171. 
Garners,  37. 


Gate,  7,  80,  134. 
Gate,  Latin,  45. 
Gates,  56. 
Gaul,  9,  76. 
Gauntlet,  81. 
Gaunt's  pile,  58. 
Geneva  ministers,  96. 
Genoa's  bow,  53. 
Genoese,  138. 
Gentile,  176. 
Gibbet,  95. 
Glades,  242. 
Glaive,  231. 
Glistering,  83. 
Glo'ster,  169. 
Gold,  Spanish,  39. 
Gordon,  173. 
Gown,  Purple,  37. 
Gown,  toga,  40. 
Gowns,  8. 
Grace,  52,  173. 
Grajme,  91. 
Graham,  82,  84. 
Grahame,  87. 
Grandsire,  167. 
Grape,  224. 

Grapes  of  Canaan,  284. 
Grapevine,  228. 
Grass-market,  172. 
Gray  goose  wing,  162. 
Great  vengeance,  35. 
Green,  189. 
Grenadiers,  202. 
Grisly,  266. 
Groan,  97. 
Grooms,  80. 
Gudetoun,  172. 
Guelders,  62. 
Guerdon,  281. 
Gullies,  173. 

Hae,  71. 

Halberdiers,  52. 
Haled,  162. 


312 


INDEX  TO  NOTES. 


Half  the  west,  172. 
Hall,  57,  93. 
Hamlet,  58. 
Ilampstead,  57. 
Hap,  156. 
Hard  by,  120. 
Hard  head,  162. 
Hardy,  169. 
Harness,  99. 
Harts,  155. 
Haytien  seas,  138. 
Heath,  92. 
Helm,  19. 
Henchman,  235. 
Henry,  158. 
Herminius,  13. 
Hied,  8. 

Hielanders,  145. 
High  Pontiffs,  38. 
Highland,  88. 
Hill,  223. 
Hinds,  17. 
Hoar,  114. 
Hohenlinden,  273. 
Hold,  79. 
Holy  fillets,  37. 
Holy  maidens,  12. 
Holster,  193. 
Horse-guards,  203. 
House  of  Doom,  91. 
Houses,  46,  70. 
Humbledown,  164. 
Hun,  274. 


Icilius,  35. 

Ilk,  172. 

llv;i.  16. 

Indian  isles,  138. 

in   forma  pauperis,  223. 

Inquisition,  263. 

Inverlochy,  88. 

Iser,  273. 

Ivory  car,  10. 


Ivry,  59. 
I  wis,  8. 

Jack-hoots,  193. 
James,  160. 
Janiculum,  7. 
Jeopardie,  118. 
Jesuit,  70. 
Jewry,  236. 
John  (Bull) ,  304. 
Jonathan  (Brother),  304. 
Juan,  238. 
Judgment-seat,  42. 
Juno,  27. 

Kaux,  165. 
Keep,  143. 
Ken,  145. 
Kent,  57. 
Ket,  302. 
Kilmarnoch,  173. 
King  Henry,  15S. 
King  James,  b">.  112. 
Kings,  Alban,  38. 
King's  crown,  171. 
Kirk,  125. 
Kite,  41. 
Kraken,  216. 

Labored,  91. 
Laird,  84. 

Lake  Constance,  129. 
Lands,  14. 
Lang-hafted,  173. 
Lannes,  177. 
Larboard,  266. 
Lars  1'orseua,  1. 
'Larum,  95. 
Latian,  6. 
Latin  Gate,  45. 
Laurel  crown,  37. 
Laurel  leaf,  138. 
Lausulus,  17. 
Lays,  40. 
Lea,  174. 


League,  60. 
Leaguer,  107. 
Leash,  90. 
Lee,  118. 
Leech,  42. 
Leech-craft,  37. 
Lemans,  69. 
Leonidas,  218. 
Leviathans,  181. 
Levin-holt,  94. 
Lew  Wallace,  229. 
Licinias,  30. 
Liege,  59. 

Lieutenant  Morris,  216. 
Lilies,  53,  62. 
Limb,  94. 
Lincoln,  58. 
Linden,  273. 
Lindsay's  pride,  88. 
Lion,  53. 
List,  50. 
Lists,  79,223. 
Litter,  18. 
Locbaber,  88. 
Lochinvar,  219. 
Lode,  159. 
Lung  hair,  66. 
Lougleat's  towers,  55. 
Longstreet,  223. 
Lord  Edward,  188. 
Lord  James,  114. 
Lords  of  Convention, 

171. 
Lorraine,  60. 
Lowers,  16. 
Lowlands,  174. 
Lucerne,  64. 
Lucrece,  11,  31. 
Lucumo,  10. 
Luna,  4. 
Lunging,  202. 
Lurid,  274. 
Lutzen,  2:34. 
Lyart,  124. 


INDEX   TO   NOTES. 


313 


Lynn,  54. 
Lyre,  139. 

Maiden  knight,  169. 
Maiden  Town,  100. 
Maidens,  the  holy,  12. 
Mail,  62. 
Main,  167,  269. 
Malakoff,  259. 
Malvern's  height,  57. 
Mamilius,  6. 
Mammon,  69. 
Man  of  blood,  66. 
Manors,  79. 
Marcian  fury,  36. 
Marion,  242. 
Market  cross,  52. 
Marmaduke,  66. 
Marmion,  78. 
Marquis,  89. 
Marrows,  173. 
Mass,  64. 
Massilia,  3. 
Match,  241. 
Maximilian,  63. 
May,  241. 
Mayenne,  60. 
McGregor's,  145. 
Measure,  220. 
Melrose,  125. 
Mendip's  caves,  55. 
Meteor,  180. 
Michael's  hold,  142. 
Mile,  51. 
Milford  Bay,  54. 
Mines,  144. 

Mirrors,  Corinthian,  38. 
Miserere,  108. 
Mitre,  69. 
Mons  Meg,  173. 
Monterey,  198. 
Montrose,  87,  173. 
Moslem,  136. 
Mother  Mary,  104. 


Mount  Alvernns,  19. 
Mount  Palatine,  48. 
Munich,  274. 
Muraena,  33. 
Musqueteers,  265. 
Must,  4. 

Nar,  16. 

Naseby,  65. 

Nelson,  179,  181. 

Nequinum,  16. 

Nether  gloom,  42. 

Netherby,  219. 

Nine  Gods,  1. 

Noisome,  38. 

Noo,  146. 

North,  65. 

Northern  streamers,  99. 

Nurscia,  5. 

Oak,  180. 
Ocnus,  17. 
Odors,  Capuan,  39. 
Oliver,  68. 
Orderly,  205. 
Orient,  284. 
Oriflamme,  61. 
Ostia,  7. 
Oxford,  69,  169. 

Paean,  283. 
Pages,  67. 
Palatine,  Mt.,  48. 
Palatinus,  24. 
Panniers,  32. 
Patricians,  37. 
Paul  Revere,  295. 
Peak,  57. 
Peer,  79. 
Pennon,  150. 
Pentland,  174. 
Philip,  64. 
Pibroch,  87. 
Picard,  53. 
Picus,  16. 


Pikes,  56. 

Pilgrim-circled,  139. 

Pillar,  109. 

Pimp,  30. 

Pincian  Hill,  45. 

Pinnace,  262. 

Pinta,  51. 

Pipes,  146. 

Pique,  191. 

Pisse,  3. 

Pistoles,  64. 

Pitch  of  pride,  79. 

Plaided,  88. 

Plain,  78. 

Plataea,  136. 

Play,  13. 

Plebeian,  39. 

Pleugh,  145. 

Plight,  119. 

Plymouth  Bay,  51. 

Points,  68. 

Poitiers  and  Cressy,  167. 

Polling,  37. 

Pontiffs,  38. 

Pope,  224. 

Populouia,  3. 

Port,  10. 

Portcullis,  80. 

Portents,  130. 

Post,  52. 

Postern,  191. 

Potsherds,  46. 

Pounds  of  copper,  43. 

Pow,  172. 

Press,  37,  122. 

Prick,  234. 

Pricking,  62. 

Priest-led  citizens,  60. 

Prone,  177. 

Prophets,  4. 

Props,  15. 

Provost,  84,  102. 

Punic  wares,  33. 

Purple  gown,  37. 


314 


INDEX   TO   NOTES. 


Quarry,  156. 
Queen,  268. 
Questing,  184. 
Quick-step,  223. 
Quinetius,  36. 
Quirites,  35. 
Quit,  172. 
Quoth,  13. 

Rails,  222. 
Ramnian,  13. 

Rampant,  202. 
Rangers,  55. 
Ransom,  1(36. 
Rapt,  230. 
Ratisbon,  177. 
Ravelston's  cliffs,  174. 
Razed,  80. 
Rebel  peers,  60. 
Reck,  285. 
Recks,  292. 
Redan,  259. 
Rede,  11(5. 
Redoubted,  161. 
Reeling,  56. 
Reeve,  2:36. 
Religion,  63. 
Richmond  Hill,  56. 
Right,  66. 
King,  224. 
Riou,  183. 
Riven,  100. 
Cohiii  Hood,  301. 
Rochelle,  59. 
Rock,  Tarpeian,  7. 
Rome,  Seven  Hills  of, 

32. 
Roof-tree,  247. 
Rosny,  (i.">. 
Rout,  65. 
Rover,  17. 
Royal  blood,  94. 
Roj  al  city,  "><>. 
Royal  Liou,  106. 


Rung  backward,  172. 
Rupert,  Go,  67. 
Ruth,  302. 


Sacked,  26. 

Sacred  Hill,  36. 

Sacred  Street,  31. 

Sae,  71. 

Saint  Andre,  62. 

Saint  Andrew's   cross, 

93. 
Saint  Bartholomew,  60. 
Saint  Bride,  SO. 
Saint  Crispin's  day,  170. 
Saint  Genevieve,  64. 
Saint  George's  cannon- 

iers,  203. 
Saint  Michael's,  246. 
Saint  Michael's  Mount, 

54. 
Saints,  66. 
Salisbury,  240. 
Sanctified  bends,  172. 
Santee,  244. 
Sappers,  146. 
Saracen,  121. 
Saxon,  92. 
Say.  187. 
ScsBvola,  36. 
Scaur,  220. 
Scottish  lion.  119. 
Scroll  of  gold,  54. 
Sea-castles,  2(H. 
Seals,  137. 
Sea-mew,  85. 
Seine,  60. 
Seius,  16. 

Semper  Eadem,  54. 
Sennacherib,  175. 
Serf,  134. 
Servius,  35. 

Severn  and  Clyde,  259. 
Sextius,  34. 


Sextus,  10. 

Shade,  173. 

Shades,  38. 

Shambles,  39. 

Shannon,  259. 

Shan  Van  Vocht,  187. 

Sheen,  175. 

Shell,  223. 

Shenandoah,  222. 

She  of  the  Seven  Hills, 

70. 
Sheridan's  Ride,  289. 
She-wolf's  litter,  18. 
Shield,  10. 
Shi  lob,  226. 
Ships  of  the  line,  262. 
Shire,  55. 
Shriven,  97. 
Shroud,  149. 
Sign,  58. 
Signet-ring,  135. 
Sir  Consul.  S. 
Sir  Knight.  53. 
Skiddaw,  58. 
Skins  of  wine,  6. 
Skippeu,  67. 
Slee,  172. 
Slogan,  92. 
Sludge,  84. 
Snooded,  236. 
Son-  of  the  Camp,  259. 
Song  of  the  Cornish 

men,  142. 
Sorely.  102. 
Sound,  97. 
South,  92. 
Southrons,  88. 
Span.  89. 
Spanish  gold,  39. 
Spear  in  rest,  121. 
Spell,  186. 
Spent,  25. 
Spits,  173. 
Spoils,  14. 


INDEX   TO   NOTES. 


315 


Spoils  of  Mexico,  51. 
Spume,  48. 
Spume-flakes,  192. 
Spurius  Lartius,  13. 
Squire,  158. 
Squires,  57. 
Stalls,  33. 
Standard,  52. 
Standards,  21. 
Starboard,  265. 
Stark,  123. 
Staves,  47. 
Stay,  25. 
Stayed,  145. 
Stonehenge,  55. 
"Stonewall"  Jackson, 

210,  222. 
Stour,  123. 
Stout,  235. 
Strait,  13. 
Stuart,  224. 
Succors,  146. 
Suffolk,  170. 
Suliote,  135. 
Surrey,  57. 
Sutrium,  5. 

Tablets,  Roman,  31. 
Tale,  5. 
Tamar,  55. 

Tamar  and  Severn,  143. 
Tautallon's  towers,  78. 
Target,  174. 
Tarquin,  30. 
Tartan,  147. 
Temple  Bar,  68. 
Ten  (Decemvirs),  29. 
Test,  85. 
Thae,  146. 
Tifernum,  16. 
Tilly,  235. 
Titian,  13. 
Tolumnius,  10. 
Tower,  94. 


Tower  and  hamlet,  58. 
Tower  and  Park,  258. 
Tower  of  London,  56. 
Train,  78. 
Transport,  229. 
Trent,  58. 
Tribunes,  14. 
Tried,  159. 
Truncheon,  60. 
Trysting  day,  1. 
Turret,  79. 
Turrets,  110. 
Turret-tops,  23. 
Tuscan,  46. 
Tuscan  bands,  7. 
Twa,  173. 
Tweed,  156. 
Twelve  cities,  9. 
Tyrol,  129. 

Umbrian,  9. 
Umbro,  4. 
Unbonneted,  52. 
Unicorn,  202. 
Unmeet,  79. 
Unscathed,  80. 
Urgo,  17. 
Urn,  40. 
Usuance,  38. 

Van,  12,  51. 
Vanguard,  15. 
Vans,  178. 
Varlets,  30. 
Vassal,  16. 
Vaward,  167. 
Vengeance,  35. 
Verbenna,  7. 
Verses,  5. 
Vest,  10. 
Vienna,  64. 
Virginius,  39. 
Volaterrae,  2. 
Volero,  33. 
Volscian,  27. 


Volsinian  mere,  4. 
Volsinium,  17. 
Votive  stone,  294. 

Wain,  207. 

Wall,  51. 

Wallace,  71,  109. 

Walloon,  235. 

Wanton,  68. 

Wantonly,  118. 

Ward,  64. 

Warder,  99. 

Ware,  159. 

War-flame,  54. 

Warristoun,  93. 

Warwick,  169. 

Watch  and  ward,  64. 

Watergate,  89. 

Wauken,  145. 

Weal,  100. 

Weather,  168. 

Weather-bow,  264. 

Weeds,  138. 
Weel,  145. 
Ween,  25. 

Weltering,  120. 

Westport,  171. 
Wha,  71. 
Wham,  71. 
Wheel,  145. 
Whelm,  112. 
Whig,  90. 
Whigs,  172. 
Whitehall,  56,  67. 
Whittle,  40. 
Wi',  71. 

Wider  world,  76. 
Wight,  142. 
Willoughby,  170. 
Will-o'-wisp,  248. 
Wine-press,  65. 
Wings,  76. 
Wis,  8. 
Wit,  41. 


316 


INDEX  TO  NOTES. 


Wode,  159. 
Woman's  voice,  91. 
Word,  70. 
Wot,  239. 


Wrekin,  57. 
Xerxes,  73. 
Yeomen,  44,  52. 


Yew,  1G8. 

Young  plants  of  grace, 
172. 


INDEX  TO  AUTHORS. 


Anonymous. 

Scotland's  Maiden  Martyr,  82. 

The  Nation's  Dead,  140. 

Chevy-Chase  (it  is  not  known 
when  this  stirring  hallad  was 
written;  but  Professor  Child 
believes  that  the  present  ver- 
sion is  not  later  than  the  reign 
of  Charles  II.,  1CG0-1685),  154. 

George  Nidiver,  184. 

Shan  Van  Vocht  (written  about 
1798),  187. 
Aytoun,  Professor  William    Ed- 
mondstoune     (born    in   Fife- 
shire,  Scotland,1813;  died  1805). 

The  Execution  of  Montrose,  87. 

Edinburgh  after  Flodden,  98. 

The  Heart  of  the  Bruce,  114. 

Barry,  Michael  Joseph  (born  in 

Dublin  (?),  Ireland,  about  1815). 
The  Place  where  Man  should  die, 

292. 
Browning,  Robert  (born  at  Cara- 

berwell,  a  suburb   of  London, 

England,  1812;  died  1889). 
Incident  of  the  French  Camp,  177. 
How  they  brought  the  Good  News 

from  Ghent  to  Aix,  191. 
Bryant,  William  Cullen  (born 

at  Cummington,  Massachusetts, 

1794;  died  1878). 
The  Battle-Field,  207. 
Song  of  Marion's  Men,  242. 
Abraham  Lincoln,  245. 


Burns,  Robert   (born   near  Ayr, 
Scotland,  1759;  died  1796). 
Bannock-Burn,  71. 
Byron,    George    Gordon    Noel, 
Lord   (born  in  London,   Eng- 
land, 1788;  died  1824). 
The  Destruction  of  Sennacherib, 

175. 
The  Eve  of  Waterloo,  270. 

Campbell,  Thomas  (born  in  Glas- 
gow, Scotland,  1777;  died  1844). 
Ye  Mariners  of  England,  179. 
Battle  of  the  Baltic,  181. 
Hohenlinden,  273. 
Collyer,  Robert  (born  at  Keigh- 
ley,  Yorkshire,  England,  1823; 
came  to  America  in  1850). 
Saxon  Grit,  301. 
Cowper,  William  (born  in  Hert- 
fordshire, England,  1731 ;  died 
1800). 
Boadicea,  75. 
Croly,  George    (born   in  Dublin, 
Ireland,  1780;  died  1860). 
Leonidas,  73. 

Doyle,    Sir    Francis    Hastings 
(born    near  Tadcaster,    York- 
shire, England,  1810 ;  died  1888). 
The  Private  of  the  Buffs,  217. 
The  Loss  of  the  Birkenhead,  256. 
Drayton,  Michael  (born  in  War- 
wickshire, England,  1563 ;  died 
1631) . 
The  Ballad  of  Agincourt,  165. 


318 


INDEX   TO   AUTHORS. 


Emerson,  Ralph  Waldo  (born  in 
Boston,  1803;  died  1882). 
Concord  Fight,  294. 
Sacrifice,  307. 

Finch,   Francis    Miles    (born    in 
Ithaca,  New  York,  1827). 
The  Blue  and  the  Gray,  151. 

Halleck,  Fitz-Greene   (born    in 
Guilford,     Connecticut,    1790; 
died  1867). 
Marco  Bozzaris,  135. 
Hawker,  Robert  Stephen  (born 
in    Plymouth,   England,   1803; 
died  1875). 
Song  of  the  Cornish  Men,  142. 
Hemans,  Mrs.  Felicia  Dorothea 
(born   in  Liverpool,   England, 
17'. ii;  died  1835). 
Casablanca,  1 18. 

The    Landing    of     the     Pilgrim 
Fathers,  196. 
Higginson,  Thomas  Wentworth 
(born  in  Cambridge,  Massachu- 
setts, 1823). 
Decoration,  305. 
Hoffman,  Charles  Fenno  (bom 
in  New  York,  1806;  died  L884). 
Monterey,  198. 
Hows,  Mrs.  Julia  Ward  (born  in 
New  York,  1819). 
Battle-Hymn   of    the    Republic, 
194. 

Korner,  Karl  Theodor  (born  in 
Dresden,  Germany,  1791 ;  died 
1813). 
The  Song  of  the  Sword,  286. 

LoCKHART,  John   Gibson  (born  in 
Glasgow,  Scotland,  1792;  died 
1 85 1 I . 
The  Lord  of  Butrago  (translation 
from  the  Spanish),  238. 


Longfellow,  Henry  Wadswortk 
(born  in  Portland,  Maine,  1807 ; 
died  1882). 
The  Cumberland,  215. 
Paul  Revere 's  Ride,  295. 
Lowell,    James     Russell    (born 
in  Cambridge,   Massachusetts, 
1819). 
Commemoration  Ode,  2S1. 
Lowell,   Robert  Trail   Spenc  e 
(brother     of     James     Russell 
Lowell  ;  born  in  Boston,  1816). 
The  Relief  of  Lucknow,  144. 

Macaulay,  Thomas  Babington, 
Lord  (born  in  Rothley  Temple, 
Leicestershire,  England,  1800 ; 
died  1859). 

Horatius,  1. 

Virginia.  29. 

The  Armada,  50. 

Ivry,  59. 

Naseby,  G5. 
McMaster,  Guy  Humphrey  (born 
in  Bath,  New  York,  1829;  died 
L887). 

Carmen  Bellicosum,  202. 

Palmer,  John  Williamson  (born 
in  Baltimore,  1S25). 
"Stonewall"     Jackson's     Way, 
'2  22. 
Procter,  Adelaide  Anne  (born 
in  London,  England,  1825;  died 
1864). 
A  Legend  of  Bregenz,  129. 

Read,  Thomas  Buchanan  (born  in 
Chester  County,  Pennsylvania, 
L822;  died  1872). 
Sheridan's  Bide,  289. 

Scott,  Sir  Walter  (born  in  Edin- 
burgh, Scotland,  1771;  died 
1832). 


INDEX   TO   AUTHORS. 


319 


Marmion  and  Douglas,  78. 

Bonnets  of  Bonnie  Dundee,  171. 

Lochinvar,  219. 
Shepherd,    Nathaniel   Graham 

(b.  in  New  York,  1835;  d.  1869). 

Roll-Call,  205. 
Stansbury,   Mrs.  M.  A.  P.  (b.  in 

Vernon  Centre,  N.Y.,  1842). 

How  he  saved  St.  Michael's,  246. 

Taylor,  Bayard  (b.  in  Kennett  Sq., 
Pennsylvania,  1825;  d.  1878). 
The  Song  of  the  Cainp,  259. 
Taylor,   Tom    (born    in    Durham, 
England,  1817;  died  1880). 
Abraham  Lincoln,  277. 
Tennyson,  Alfred,  Lord  (born  in 
Somersby,   Lincolnshire,  Eng- 
land, 1809). 
The  Charge  of  the  Light  Brigade, 

126. 
The  "  Revenge,"  262. 
Thornbury,  Walter  (born  in  Lon- 
don, 1828;  died  1876). 
The  Cavalier's  Escape,  240. 


Thorpe,    Mrs.    Rose    Hartwick 
(born  in  Mishawaka,  Indiana, 
1850). 
Curfew  must  not  ring  to-night, 
251. 

Whittier,  John  Greenleaf  (born 
iu    Haverhill,     Massachusetts, 
1807). 
Our  State,  200. 
Barbara  Frietchie,  209. 
Barclay  of  Ury,  233. 
Willson,     Forceythe    (born    in 
Little     Geuesee,     New    York, 
1837;  died  1867). 
The  Old  Sergeant,  225. 
Wolfe,  Charles  (born  in  Dublin, 
Ireland,  1791;  died  1823). 
The  Burial  of   Sir   John  Moore, 
213. 
Wordsworth,   William   (born  in 
Cockermouth,         Cumberland, 
England,  1770;  died  1850). 
The  Happy  Warrior,  275. 


ELEMENTARY   ENGLISH.  3 

CLASSICS    FOR    CHILDREN. 

In  forming  the  mind  and  taste  of  the  young,  is  it  not  better  to  use 
authors  who  have  already  lived  long  enough  to  afford  some  guaranty 
that  they  may  survive  the  next  twenty  years  ? 

"  Children  derive  impulses  of  a  wonderful  and  important  kind 
from    Hearing   things   that   they  cannot    entirely   comprehend."  —  Sir 

Walter  Scott. 

I  T  is  now  some  six  or  seven  years  since  we  began  publishing  the 

Classics  for  Children,  and  the  enterprise,  which  at  first  seemed  a 

novel  one,  may  fairly  be  said  to  have  passed  the  stage  of  experiment. 

It  has  been  the  aim  to  present  the  best  and  most  suitable  litera- 
ture in  our  language  in  as  complete  a  form  as  possible ;  and  in 
most  cases  but  few  omissions  have  been  found  necessary.  Whether 
judged  from  the  literary,  the  ethical,  or  the  educational  standpoint, 
each  of  the  books  has  attained  the  rank  of  a  masterpiece. 

The  series  places  within  reach  of  all  schools  an  abundant  supply 
of  supplementary  reading-matter.    This  is  its  most  obvious  merit. 

It  is  reading-matter,  too,  which,  by  the  force  of  its  own  interest 
and  excellence,  will  do  much,  when  fairly  set  in  competition,  to 
displace  the  trashy  and  even  harmful  literature  so  widely  current. 

It  is  believed  also  that  constant  dwelling  upon  such  models  of  sim- 
ple, pure,  idiomatic  English  is  the  easiest  and  on  all  accounts  the 
best  way  for  children  to  acquire  a  mastery  of  their  mother-tongue. 

A  large  portion  of  the  course  has  been  devoted  to  history  and  biog- 
raphy, as  it  has  seemed  specially  desirable  to  supplement  the  brief, 
unsatisfactory  outlines  of  history  with  full  and  life-like  readings. 

The  annotation  has  been  done  with  modesty  and  reserve,  the 
editors  having  aimed  to  let  the  readers  come  into  direct  acquaint- 
ance with  the  author. 

The  books  are  all  printed  on  good  paper,  and  are  durably  and 
attractively  bound  in  12mo.  A  distinctive  feature  is  the  large, 
clear  type.  Illustrations  have  been  freely  used  when  thought  de- 
sirable. The  prices  are  as  low  as  possible.  It  has  been  felt  that 
nothing  would  be  gained  by  making  the  books  a  little  cheaper  at 
the  expense  of  crowding  the  page  with  fine  type  and  issuing  them 
in  a  style  that  would  neither  attract  nor  last. 

The  best  proof  of  the  need  of  such  a  course  is  the  universal 
approbation  with  which  it  has  been  received. 


4  ELEMENTARY    ENGLISH. 

/E sop's  Fables. 

Edited  by  J.  H.  Stickney,  with  a  Life  of  .Esop,  and  a  Supplement  con« 
taining  fables  from  La  Fontaine  and  Krilof.  xvii  +  204  pages.  Illus- 
trated. Boards:  Mailing  Price,  40  cents;  for  introduction,  35  cents. 
Cloth:  60  and  50  cents. 

Hans  Andersen's  Fairy  Tales. 

Edited,  for  school  and  home  use,  by  J.  H.  Stickney. 

FIRST  SERIES :  Supplementary  to  the  Third  Reader,  for  children 
from  eight  to  twelve  years  of  age.  viii  +  280  pages.  Illustrated.  Mail- 
ing Prices:  Cloth,  55  cents;  Boards,  45  cents.  For  introduction :  Cloth, 
50  cents  ;  Boards,  -10  cents. 

SECOND  SERIES:  Supplementary  to  the  Fourth  Reader,  for  children 
from  ten  to  fourteen  years  of  age.  352  pages.  Illustrated.  Mailing 
Prices:  Cloth,  55  cents;  Boards,  45  cents.  For  introduction:  Cloth,  50 
cents ;  Boards,  40  cents. 

Kinqsteij's  Water-Babies. 

Edited  by  J.  H.  Stickney.  200  pages.  Illustrated.  Boards :  Mailing 
Price,  40  cents;  for  introduction,  35  cents.     Cloth:  GO  and  50  cents. 

The  King  of  the  Golden  River;   or,   The  Black 

Brothers. 

By  John  Ruskin.  A  legend  of  Stiria.  54  pages.  Illustrated.  Boards: 
Mailing  Price,  24  cents;  for  introduction,  20 cents.    Cloth:  30  and  25  cents. 

The  Siuiss  Family  Robinson. 

Edited  by  J.  H.  Stickney,  viii  +  364  pages.  Illustrated.  Boards:  Mail- 
ing Price,  50  cents ;  for  introduction,  40  cents.    Cloth,  GO  and  50  cents. 

Robinson  Crusoe. 

The  famous  English  Classic.  Edited  for  Supplementary  Reading  in 
Schools,  by  W.  H.  Lamjjert.  2G3  pages.  Boards:  Mailing  Price,  40 
cents;  for  introduction,  35  cents.     Cloth  :  GO  and  50  cents. 

Kinqsleu's  Greek  Heroes. 

Edited  by  John  Tk.tlow,  Head  Master  of  the  Girls'  High  and  Latin 
School  ,  Boston,  is.",  pages.  Illustrated.  Hoards:  Mailing  Price,  40 
cents;  for  introduction,  '.'<5  cents.     Cloth:  55  and  50  cents. 

Lamb's  Tales  from  Shakespeare. 

Measure  for  Measure  has  been  omitted.  320  pages.  Boards:  Mailing 
Price,  50  cents ;  for  introduction,  40  cents.    Cloth:  GO  and  50  cents. 


ELEMENTARY   ENGLISH.  5 

Scott's  Tales  of  a  Grandfather. 

Being  the  history  of  Scotland  from  the  earliest  period  to  the  close  of  the 
reign  of  James  the  Fifth.  Abridged  by  Edwin  Ginn.  vi  + 286  pages. 
Boards:  Mailing  Price,  50  cents;  for  introduction,  40  cents.  Cloth:  60 
and  50  cents. 

The  Peasant  and  the  Prince. 

By  Harriet  Martineau.  viii  +  212  pages.  Illustrated.  Boards: 
Mailing  l'rice,  40  cents;  for  introduction,  35  cents.  Cloth:  Mailing 
Price,  55  cents;  for  introduction,  50  cents. 


Scott's  Lady  of  the  Lake. 


Edited  by  Edwin  Ginn.    268  pages.    Boards:  Mailing  Price,  40  cents; 
for  introduction,  35  cents.    Cloth :  60  and  50  cents.    Canto  I.,  5  cents. 


Scott's  Lay  of  the  Last  Minstrel. 


With  map.  Edited  by  Margaret  Andrews  Allen.  150  pages.  Boards: 
Mailing  Price,  35  cents;  for  introduction,  30  cents.  Cloth:  45  and  40 
cents. 


Aduentures  of  Ulysses. 


By  Charles  Lamb,  vii  +  109  pages.  Boards:  Mailing  Price.  30  cents; 
for  introduction,  25  cents.  Cloth:  Mailing  Price,  40  cents;  for  introduc- 
tion, 35  cents. 


Stories  of  the  Old  World. 


Prepared  expressly  for  this  Series  by  the  Rev.  Alfred  J.  Church,  M.A., 
author  of  Stories  from  Homer,  Livy,  Virgil,  etc.  354  pages.  Boards : 
Mailing  Price,  50  cents;  for  introduction,  40  cents.  Cloth:  60  and  50 
cents. 

Plutarch's  Lives. 


From  Clough's  Translation.  Edited  by  Edwin  Ginn,  with  Historical 
Introductions  by  \V.  F.  Allen,  xvi  +  333  pages.  Illustrated.  Boards: 
Mailing  Price,  50  cents;  for  introduction,  40  cents.  Cloth:  Mailing 
Price,  60  cents;  for  introduction,  50  cents. 

Scott's  Talisman. 

*■ 

Edited  by  Dwight  Holbrook,  Principal  of  Morgan  School,  Clinton, 
Conn.,  with  an  Introduction  by  Miss  Charlotte  M.  Yonge.  xii  +454 
pages.  Boards :  Mailing  Price,  60  cents  ;  for  introduction,  50  cents. 
Cloth :  70  and  60  cents. 


ELEMENTARY  ENGLISH. 


Scott's  Quentin  Durward. 


I'.diteil  for  this  Series,  with  an  Historical  Introduction,  hy  Charlottk 
M.  Yonge,  of  England.  312  pages.  Boards:  Mailing  Price,  50  cents; 
for  introduction,  40  cents.    Cloth :  00  and  50  cents. 


/ruing 's  Sketch  Book. 


With  full  Notes,  Questions,  etc.,  for  Home  and  School  Use.  By  Homer 
B.  Sprague,  Ph.D.,  and  M.  E.  Scates,  formerly  of  the  Girls'  High 
School.  Boston.  12(5  pages.  Boards:  Mailing  Price,  30  cents;  for  intro- 
duction, 25  cents.  Cloth:  Mailing  Price,  40  cents;  for  introduction,  35 
cents. 


Shakespeare's  Merchant  of  Venice. 

Hudson  and  Lamb.  115  passes.  Boards:  Mailing  Price,  30  cents  ;  for 
introduction,  25  cents.    Cloth:  45  and  40  cents. 

The  Arabian  Mights. 

—  .  .-  .  — 

Selections,  edited  by  Rev.  Edward  Everett  Hale,  D.D.  Illustrated. 
370  pages.  Boards:  Mailing  Price,  50  cents;  for  introduction,  40  cents. 
Cloth :  00  and  50  cents. 

The  Vicar  of  Wakefield. 

Edited  with  Notes,  for  use  in  Schools.  238  pages.  Boards:  Mailing 
Price,  35  cents;  for  introduction,  30  cents.    Cloth :  55  and  50  ceuts. 


Scott's  Guy  Mannering. 


Edited  with  Notes,  and  a  Historical  Introduction  by  Miss  Charlotte 
M.  Yonge.  525  pages.  Boards:  Mailing  Price,  70  cents;  for  introduc- 
tion, 00  cents.   Cloth :  Mailing  Price,  85  cents;  for  introduction,  75  ceuts. 

Scott's  Ivanhoe. 

Edited  with  Notes,  and  a  Historical  Introduction  by  Miss  Charlotte 
M.  Yonge.  664  pages.  Boards:  Mailing  Price,  70  cents;  for  introduc- 
tion, 00  cents.  Cloth :  Mailing  Price,  85  cents ;  for  introduction,  75 
ceuts. 

Scott's  Rob  Roy. 

Edited  with  Notes,  and  a  Historical  Introduction  by  Miss  Charlotte 
M.  YoNGE.  viii  +  507  pages.  Boards:  Mailing  Price,  70  cents  ;  for  in' 
traduction,  00  ceuts.     Cloth:  85  and  75  cents. 


ELEMENTARY   ENGLISH. 


Tom  Brown  at  Rugby. 


By  Thomas  Hughes.  Edited  by  Clara  "Weaver  Robinson,  with  a 
Sketch  of  the  Author's  Life  by  D.  H.  Montgomery,  xiii  +  387  pages. 
Boards:  Mailing  Price,  60  cents;  for  introduction,  50  cents.  Cloth: 
Mailing  Price,  70  cents;  for  introduction,  00  cents. 

Benjamin  Franklin. 

His  Autobiography,  with  Notes,  and  a  continuation  of  his  Life  compiled 
chiefly  from  his  own  writings.  By  D.  H.  Montgomery.  Illustrated. 
viii  +  311  pages.  Boards:  Hailing  Price,  50  cents;  for  introduction,  40 
cents.    Cloth :  Mailing  Price,  60  cents ;  for  introduction,  50  cents. 

Gufliuer's  Travels. 

The  Voyage  to  Lilliput  and  the  Voyage  to  Brobdingnag.  By  Dean 
Swtft.  ix  -i- 162  pages.  Boards :  Mailing  Price,  35  cents ;  for  introduc- 
tion, 30  cents.    Cloth :  Mailing  Price,  45  cents ;  for  introduction,  40  cents. 

Rasselas,  Prince  of  Abyssinia. 

By  Dr.  Samuel  Johnson,  with  a  Sketch  of  the  Author,  viii  + 157  pages. 
Boards:  Mailing  Price,  35  cents;  for  introduction,  30  cents.  Cloth: 
Mailing  Price,  45  cents;  for  introduction,  40  cents. 


Selections  from  Rushin. 


Edited  by  Edwin  GrNN,  with  Notes  and  a  Sketch  of  Ruskin's  Life  by 
D.  H.  Montgomery,  xxv  + 148  pages.  Boards :  Mailing  Price,  35  cents ; 
for  introduction,  30  cents.  Cloth :  Mailing  Price,  45  cents ;  for  introduc- 
tion, 40  cents. 

The  Two  Great  Retreats  of  History : 

I.  The  Retreat  of  the  Ten  Thousand,  taken  from  Grote's  "  History  of 
Greece  "  ;  II.  Napoleon's  Retreat  from  Moscow,  an  abridgment  of  Count 
Segur's  narrative.  With  Introductions,  Notes,  and  Pronouncing  Index, 
by  D.  H.  Montgomery,  xv  +  318  pages  and  two  maps.  Boards :  Mailing 
Price,  50  cents;  for  introduction,  40  cents.  Cloth:  Mailing  Price,  60 
cents ;  for  introduction,  50  cents. 

Heroic  Ballads, 

With  Poems  of  War  and  Patriotism.    Edited  with  Notes  by  D.  IT.  Mont- 
gomery, pages.    Boards :  Mailing  Price,        cents ;  for  intro- 
duction,       cents.    Cloth:  Mailing  Price,         cents;  for   introduction, 
cents. 

OTHER  BOOKS  FOR  SUPPLEMENTARY  READING. 

Washington  and  His  Country.     See  description  under  History. 
Pilgrims  and  Puritans.     See  description  under  History. 
English  History  Reader.     See  description  under  History. 
Footprints  of  Travel.     See  description  under  Geography. 
Our  World  Reader,  No.    1.     See  descriptiou  under  Geography, 


8 


ELEMENTARY   ENGLISH. 


THE  SERIES  OF  CLASSICS  FOR  CHILDREN 

TAS  been  most  cordially  approved  by  the  press  and  the  critics, 
and  endorsed  by  teachers,  superintendents,  and  school  boards. 
The  books  are  in  wide  use  (1)  as  regular  readers,  (2)  as  supple- 
mentary readers,  and  (:!)  in  school  and  home  libraries.     Out  of 
hundreds  of  testimonials  we  can  present  but  a  very  few:  — 

The  Critic,  New  York:  A  capital 
series. 

Education,  Boston:  These  books 
are  remarkably  cheap,  well  printed, 
well  edited,  and  should  have  an  ex- 
tended use. 

William  H.  Payne,  Pres.  of  Pea- 
body  Normal  College,  Nashville, 
Tenn. :  I  think  too  much  cannot  he 
said  in  favor  of  this  list  of  publica- 
tions, destined,  I  believe,  to  create  a 
correct  taste  for  reading,  and  to  dis- 
place much  that  is  now  working  in- 
jury to  the  mental  and  moral  habits 
of  the  young. 

J.  H.  Vincent,  Sitpt.  of  Instruction, 
Chautauqua  Assembly:  I  desire  to 
express  my  great  satisfaction  with 
the  taste,  skill,  and  wisdom  of  the 
work.    I  wish  it  abundant  success. 

Mellen  Chamberlain,  Librarian, 
Boston  Public  Library  :  These  pub- 
lications seem  to  me  to  be  of  great 
value,  whether  regarded  as  home 
reading  or  for  use  in  public  school. 

H.  0.  Wheeler,  Supt.  of  Schools, 


Burlington,  Vt.  :  These  books  form 
an  admirable  series  for  reading  in 
the  home  as  well  as  in  the  school. 

F.  Louis  Soldan,  Prin.  of  Normal 
School,  St.  Louis,  Mo.:  The  idea  un- 
derlying these  books  is  meritorious 
in  itself,  and  its  execution  admirable. 

W.  M.  Crow,  Supt.  of  Schools,  Gal- 
veston, Tex. :  Permit  me  to  say  that  I 
regard  your  series  of  Classics  for  (  hil- 
dren  as  the  best  literature  in  the  best 
form  that  has  ever  been  presented  to 
the  young  people  of  our  country. 

B.  B.  Snow,  Supt.  of  Schools,  Au- 
burn, N.Y.  :  As  to  results,  I  venture 
to  say,  from  our  experience,  that  no 
one  who  undertakes  the  method  [of 
dispensing  with  regular  "readers"] 
will  willingly  abandon  it.  Our  read- 
ing exercise  is  ^'.e  most  interesting 
exercise  of  the  lay.  The  pupils  look 
forward  to  it  eagerly,  the  interest  is 
absorbing,  and  the  exercise  is  reluc- 
tantly discontinued.  I  may  add  that 
the  teachers  are  as  much  interested 
as  the  pupils. 


Hazen's  Complete  Speller. 


Editions  and  Prices. — Part  I.,  Primary:  12mo.  Boards.  54  pages. 
Introduction,  10  cents;  allowed  for  old  book,  .'i  cents.  Parts  II.  and  III., 
Intermediate  and  Grammar,  and  Test  Speller:  12mo.  Boards.  148 
pages.     Introduction,  20  cents;  allowed  for  old  book,  (i  cents.    Complete 


(Parts  I.,  II.,  and  III.):   12mo.     Boards, 
cents ;  allowed  for  old  book,  8  cents. 


l'J4  pages.    Introduction,  25 


TN  this  book  spelling  is  taught  on  a  rational  plan,  by  the  aid 

of   intelligence  as  well  as  memory.      It  has  many  features  of 

special  merit  that  practical  teachers  have  been  prompt  to  recognize. 

W.  T.  HarriB,  formerly  Supt.  of  Schools,  St.  Louis:  It  gives  evidence  of 
long  experience  on  the  part  of  the  author  in  the  matter  of  teaching  spelling. 


ELEMENTARY   ENGLISH. 


9 


Elementary  Lessons  in  English. 


T 


By  Mrs.  N.  L.  Knox-Heath. 

PART  FIRST:  "  How  to  Speak  and  Write  Correctly." 

12mo.    Cloth.      15)2  pages.     Mailing  Price,  45  cents;   Introduction,  40 

cents  ;  allowance  in  exchange,  15  cents. 

HIS  part  contains  no  technical  grammar.      It  is  designed  to 
give  children  such  knowledge  of  the  English  language  as  will 
enable  them  to  speak  and  write  it  with  acc«w,cy  and  force. 

PART  FIRST :  Teachers'  Edition.  12mo.  Cloth.  323  pages.  Mailing 
Price,  70  cents;  Introduction  and  Teachers'  Price,  60  cents. 

The  teachers'  edition  contains  the  entire  text  of  the  pupils'  book, 
and  in  addition  full  directions  and  suggestions  for  conducting  the 
work  to  the  best  advantage. 

PART  SECOND :  "  The  Parts  of  Speech  and  How  to  Use  Them."  ix  +  306 
pages.  Mailing  price,  70  cents  ;  for  introduction,  60  cents  ;  allowance 
for  old  book  in  exchange,  20  cents. 

This  book  contains  all  the  technical  grammar  that  is  required 
below  the  high  school  grade.  Like  Part  First,  it  has  a  practical 
aim,  —  the  knowledge  of  our  language  and  the  ability  to  use  it. 
The  best  means  to  this  end  have  been  ingeniously  devised  and 
adopted.  The  needs  of  those  who  leave  school  before  completing 
the  course  have  been  carefully  studied. 


PART  SECOND :    Teachers'  Edition.    12mo. 
duction  and  Teachers'  Price,  15  cents. 


Paper.    95  pages.    Intro- 


This  book  consists  of  Oral  Lessons,  Observation  Lessons,  Exer- 
cises, Dictations,  Vocabulary  Lessons,  Exercises  in  Parsing,  Reviews, 
Cautions,  Subjects  and  Plans,  and,  in  short,  everything  required  to 
elucidate  and  supplement  the  pupil's  book.  The  Appendix  con- 
tains Business  Forms  and  Models  for  Letters,  with  a  List  of  Books 
for  Children. 


S.  T.  Dutton,  Supt.  of  Schools, 
New  Haven,  Conn.:  The  Knox-Heath 
Language  Series  has  been  in  use  in 
New  Haven,  the  first  book  for  five 
years,  the  second  book  for  one  year. 
From  my  observation  of  the  results 
attained  by  their  use,  and  from  the 
testimonies  of  teachers   aud  princi- 


pals, I  have  no  doubt  of  their  being 
the  best  text-books  for  language- 
teaching  now  in  the  market. 

They  are  better  suited  to  develop 
power  in  the  correct  use  of  English, 
and  at  the  same  time  furnish  teach- 
ers with  a  better  method,  than  any 
other  books  I  have  seeu.    {Oct.  1887.) 


BOOKS  IN  HIGHER  ENGLISH. 


Intro.  Price 
Alexander :         Introduction  to  the  Study  of  Browning        .        .        .  81.00 

Allen  :  Reader's  Guide  to  English  History 25 

Arnold :  English  Literature 1.50 

Bancroft :  A  Method  of  English  Composition 50 

Browne :  Shakspere's  Versification 25 

Cook:  Sidney's  Defense  of  Poesy      ...... 

Shelley's  Defense  of  Poesy 

Fulton  &  Trueblood  :  Choice  Readings 1.50 

Chart  Illustrating  Principles  of  Vocal  Expression      .    2.00 
Garnett :  Englishdfr-ose  from  Elizabeth  to  Victoria    . 

Genung :  Handbook  of  Rhetorical  Analysis 1.12 

Practical  Elements  of  Rhetoric 1.25 

Gilmore:  Outlines  of  the  Art  of  Expression 60 

Ginn:  Scott's  Lady  of  the  Lake         .        .    Bds.,  .33 ;  Cloth,      .50 

Scott's  Tales  of  a  Grandfather      .    Bds.,  .40;  Cloth,      .50 

Selections  from  Raskin  .        .        .    Bds.,  .30;  Cloth,      .40 

Goldsmith:         Vicar  of  Wakefield  .        .        .        .    Bds.,  .30;  Cloth,      .50 

Grote  &  Segur :  The  Two  Great  Retreats  of  History,  Bds.,  .40;  Cloth,      .50 

Gummere:  Handbook  of  Poetics 1.00 

Hudson:  Harvard  Shakespeare:— 20  Vol. Edition.  Cloth, retail,  25.00 

"  "  10  Vol.  Edition.  Cloth,  retail,  20.00 

New  School  Shakespeare.  Each  Play,  Pa.  .30 ;  cloth,  .43 
Essays  on  Education,  English  Studies,  etc.  .  .  .25 
Text-Book  of  Poetry  and  of  Prose.  Each  .  .  .  1.25 
Pamphlet  Selections.  Prose  and  Poetry.    Each   .        .      A~> 

Classical  English  Reader 1.00 

Johnson:  Rasselas Bds.,  .30;  Cloth,      .40 

Lamb:  Adventures  of  Ulysses     .       .       .   Bds.,  .25 ;  Cloth,      .35 

Tales  from  Shakespeare  .        .        .    Bds.,  .40;  Cloth,       .50 

Lockwood:        Lessons  in  English 1.12 

Bryant's  Thanatopsis  and  Other  Favorite  Poems       .      .10 

Minto  :  Characteristics  of  English  Poets 1.50 

Manual  of  English  Prose  Literature      ....     1.50 

Montgomery:    Banyan's  Pilgrim's  Progress 

Heroic  Ballads  ....    Bds.,  .40;  Cloth,      .50 

Rolfe:  Craik's  English  of  Shakespeare 90 

Scott:  Guy  Mannering,  Ivanhoe,  and  Rob  Roy. 

Each Bds.,  .60;  Cloth,      .75 

Lay  of  the  Last  Minstrel.  .  .  lids.,  .30;  Cloth,  .40 
Quentin  Durward     ....    Bds.,  .40 ;  Cloth,      J50 

Talisman lids.,  .50;  Cloth,       .CO 

Sprague :  Milton's  Paradise  Lost,  and  Lycidas 45 

Irving's Sketch-Book  (Selections) .    Bds.,  .25;  Cloth,      .35 

Thayer:  The  Best  Elizabethan  Plays 1.25 

Thorn:  Shakespeare  and  Chaucer  Examinations     .       .       .    1.00 

AND    OTHER    VALUABLE    WORKS. 


GINN   &   COMPANY,   Publishers, 

Boston,  New  York,  and  Chicago. 


"D 


/ 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  AT  LOS  ANGELES 

THE  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARY 
This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below 


.an  b"  \m 

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Sfp  i 

Form  L-9-15m-7,'85 

UNIVERSITY  of  CALIFORNIA 


PR 
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